NRM party plans to reclaim Mbale

Mobilisation. Ms Lydia Wanyoto (right), the chairperson National Resistance Movement women league, with Ms Justine Lumumba, the party’s secretary general (centre), at a meeting at Muyembe Cell in Mbale Town on Sunday. PHOTO BY MICHEAL WONIALA

What you need to know:

  • Efforts. The National Resistance Movement party leaders have unanimously resolved to carry out mass mobilisation to change the voting patterns in their favour.

The ruling National Resistance Movement (NRM) party leaders in Mbale District have resolved to reclaim the area that has lately been taken over by the Opposition.
Since the introduction of multiparty politics in 2005, Mbale Town and its surrounding counties, have been regarded as Opposition strongholds.

For example, in the 2016 presidential elections, the Opposition Forum for Democratic Change (FDC) candidate, Dr Kizza Besigye, defeated President Museveni with a difference of 4,715 votes in the district.
This was after Dr Besigye garnered 70,258 votes while President Museveni got 65,543.

The voters also elected two Opposition Members of Parliament (MP), Mr Jack Wamai Wamanga (FDC) as MP for Mbale Municipality, and Sizomu Gashomu Wambede (FDC) for Bunghokho North.

The NRM party got two MPs, Connie Nakayenze Galiwango, who is the district Woman MP, and Micheal Werikhe, the MP for Bunghokho South, who also doubles as the State Minister for Trade.

During a meeting on Sunday that was attended by NRM leaders including party village chairpersons at Muyembe Cell near Wash and Will Hotel, Industrial Division in Mbale Town, they unanimously resolved to carry out mass mobilisation to change the voting patterns in their favour.

“President Museveni has not been happy with us because we send Opposition leaders who disturb him,” Mr Salim Namajje, the NRM youth chairperson said, adding: “We shall ensure that Mbale is no longer an Opposition stronghold.”

The NRM secretary general, Ms Justine Kasule Lumumba, who was in attendance, said there is need for massive mobilisation at the grassroot levels to ensure that NRM party wins not only in Mbale but in the entire Bugisu Sub-region in the 2021 General Election.

Ms Lumumba said it is frustrating that the NRM government has continued to grant multibillion projects to the district but voters keep electing the Opposition.
“I appeal to you to mobilise and vote for President Museveni in 2021 elections because even after denying him votes in the previous elections, this did not stop him from constructing markets and roads, among other projects in this area,” she said.

She added that Mbale played a pivotal role in bringing President Museveni to power although they have now been led astray by the Opposition forces.
In rebuttal, Mr Akim Watenyeri, the vice chairperson of Uganda Peoples Congress (UPC) party, said the NRM leaders are daydreaming.

“The NRM as of now has become so unpopular. It has no votes from the local people because for sure, apart from institutionalising corruption and giving out handouts to few youth groups, what else have they done?” he said.
Mr Dennis Wanyoro, one of the coordinators of People Power movement, said the NRM party leadership in Mbale District is divided.

“They are pretending but inside their hearts, they know that NRM party is on verge of collapsing, especially in this district and to make matters worse, the convener of the meeting is so unpopular among the voters,” Mr Wanyoro said.

Voting pattern

The defeat. In the 2016 presidential elections, the Opposition Forum for Democratic Change (FDC) candidate, Dr Kizza Besigye, defeated President Museveni with a difference of 4,715 votes in the district.

Numbers. This was after Dr Besigye garnered 70,258 votes while President Museveni got 65,543.