NRM volunteers group is illegal, says RDC

Mr Joe Katamba, (R) the national coordinator Voice of the Movement, addresses new members in Mbarara Town at the weekend. PHOTO BY RAJAB MUKOMBOZI

What you need to know:

RDC claims the group is charging members money to register them.

Mbarara- The deputy Resident District Commissioner Mbarara, Mr Moses Mwebesa, has said a pro NRM mobilisation group Voice of the Movement is an illegal organisation.

The group came to the limelight a few weeks ago calling itself the economic mobilisation arm of the NRM.
But Mr Mwebesa said on Tuesday the members will be arrested should they continue carrying out any mobilisation activities in the name of NRM without clearance from the party top organs.

“We are not against any volunteer group coming up to support the movement or any party but they need to be known and recommended by the party structures,” said Mr Mwebesa at a press conference.

However, Voice of the Movement leaders claim the group has a national character, and that it was formed six years ago at the NRM party headquarters in Kyadondo, Kampala.

“We began this movement with an intention of having an economic cadreship in the party to liberate the grassroot people from poverty. NRM had political and military cadre ship but the economic cadreship was lacking,” Mr Joe Katamba, the national coordinator, said while addressing members from south western Uganda in Mbarara Town at the weekend.

Mr Katamba added, “We, however, met strong resistance from the party cadres who knew they will no longer be in control of funds meant for mobilising poor people to lift them out of poverty. They began fighting us even alleging we were recruiting for rebel activities.”

Mr Mwebesa also said the group is being accused of soliciting money from people so as to register them, an allegation the group members deny.
Mr Kassim Makumbi, the group national chairman, said some NRM party leaders including RDCs, are worried of the Voice of Movement activities is because the group’s good mobilisation skills have surpassed theirs.

They claim the group has a blessing of the NRM party chairman and vowed to defy the RDCs order and go on with their mobilization activities.