Minister Werikhe, Mbale NRM boss clash at meeting

MBALE.

Mbale NRM party chairperson Mahamood Masaba and State minister for Trade Micheal Werikhe (pictured), on Monday clashed during the official opening of Nabumali Town Council in Mbale District over political differences.

It started after Mr Masaba requested the minister to stop causing disunity and confusion among NRM supporters in the district.

“As a minister, you must work towards uniting NRM leaders instead of causing divisions,” Mr Masaba said, adding: “We have some NRM leaders who support those in the Opposition,”

According to Mr Masaba, the minister told people that the Mbale District chairperson, Mr Benard Mujasi, fondly known as Touch, does not have the required academic qualifications.

“Mr Werikhe is initiating wars in Mbale. We will not allow one person to destroy the image of the NRM party in the district by dividing the party members,” Mr Masaba said.

He added that as NRM chairperson, he will not allow wrong elements in the party to meddle in NRM activities in his area. “I was elected as the chairperson of NRM and I know my duties. Mr Werikhe should stop intimidating and attacking me. He should leave my office and its activities alone. He should carry on his duties as area MP,” Mr Masaba.

When contacted, Mr Watamba denied the allegations. “The minister has agents, who are NRM supporters but adherent supporters of our opponent. These, among other things are his deliberate moves to divide and weaken the party, which I will not tolerate,” said Mr Masaba. Mr Mujasi and Magombe are in the Court of Appeal following the nullification of the 2016 general election by the High Court in Mbale in August, 2016.
The election, which Mujasi won with 41,659 votes against his opponent, Mr Magombe, who got 38,710 votes out of 80,369 registered voters, was nullified by the Electoral Commission over non-compliance with electoral laws.

Mr Werikhe, however, said the NRM chairperson, Mr Masaba is only failing to do his duties and instead resorting to a blame game. “He is the chairperson and people whom he accuses as my agents are his subordinates. He should discipline them if they are doing something wrong instead of attacking an innocent man,” said Mr Werikhe.

He added that the NRM leaders want to use Mujasi so as to attract sympathy. “I am not fighting Mujasi. He is in court. If court is asking documents, let him avail them,” he said.

Efforts by Daily Monitor to get a comment from Mr Mujansi were futile as he didn’t pick our repeated calls for the last two days.

Old foes
Mr Mujasi, Werikhe and Masaba have been adversaries for years but in 2016, President Museveni reconciled them at Malukhu playground during presidential campaigns.