‘We are going in protest’ - NRM rebel MPs vow to attend Kyankwanzi meeting

The National Resistance Movement (NRM) on Tuesday barred some of Members of Parliament (MPs) from attending an eight-day NRM Parliamentary Caucus retreat to be held in Kyankwanzi District.

According to the NRM Caucus Publicity Secretary, Margaret Muhanga, these so-called rebel MPs have been barred from attending the meeting because they have shown a tendency to be disruptive.

However, the rebel MPs have hit back, saying they are still party members who cannot be barred from attending the caucus meeting. John Baptist Nambeshe, the MP Manjiya County has said he will attend the meeting in protest.
“This is dictatorship, it’s an abrogation of the Constitution of the party and we shall not take it lying down. We are going in protest. I will go and I want the whole world to know even if they bar the press from going. I have to go there and they chase me from there,” MP Nambeshe said.

Buyaga County Member of Parliament, Barnabus Tinkasimire said that the NRM MPs attending the meeting are only going to plan on how present President Museveni as sole candidate in the party’s next primaries.

“We are telling Ugandans that the group going to Kyankwanzi, they are not only going to conspire to loot this Muhanga said the matter is not on the agenda but will be discussed if brought forward by a party member. country but also to cause another tear down of our constitution,” Mr Tinkasimire.

The MPs who will not be welcome at the Kyankwanzi meeting include Barnabas Tinkasimire, Theodore Sekikubo, John Baptist Nambeshe, Gaffa Mbwatekamwa, Patrick Oshabe and Monica Amoding.

However, the NRM Caucus Publicity Secretary, Margaret Muhanga said the matter is not on the agenda but will be discussed if brought forward by a party member.

Deputy caucus chairperson Robert Silwany also dismissed claims that the People Power pressure group led by Kyadondo East MP Robert Kyagulanyi alias Bobi Wine will also be part of their discussion.
“There is no political party registered as People Power so it’s not a serious issue. It is just something talked about in corridors so we can’t discuss that,” he said.