Ex-Minister Kiyingi denies losing in NRM sub-county elections
L-R: Former State Minister for Works, Mr Asuman Kiyingi, Former Minister for Lands ,Housing and Urban Development, Daudi Migereko, and NRM electoral commission chairman, Mr Tanga Odoi. Photo | Sam Caleb Opio
What you need to know:
- Mr Kiyingi claims that it's impossible for him to lose an election he didn't participate in, and instead questioned the legitimacy of the electoral process
Former State Minister for Works and current chairperson of the Leadership Tribunal, Mr Asuman Kiyingi, has denied losing in the NRM grassroots elections in Kamuli District.
Mr Kiyingi claims that it's impossible for him to lose an election he didn't participate in, and instead questioned the legitimacy of the electoral process.
"How can I lose an election I didn’t participate in unless you have been paid to tarnish my name?" Mr Kiyingi complained in a WhatsApp message, responding to reports of his loss to Mr Stephen Balikoowa.
Mr Kiyingi further explained that his absence was due to the compromised nature of the electoral team, which he had exposed and petitioned against.
"This compromised team could not sit in judgment over me who had exposed and petitioned their behavior," Mr Kiyingi said.
He also pointed out that his rival, Mr Mathew Basanya, should have been disqualified due to a petition filed by Mr Juma Miti, alleging issues including violence and intimidation.
"All these informed the decision to have a harmonious unifying approach which was communicated by Dr Tanga Odoi ( NRM Electoral Commission Chairperson )," Mr Kiyingi explained.
The controversy surrounds the NRM party elections held in Namisambya Parish, Kitayunjwa sub-county, Kamuli district on May 16, where Mr Mathew Basanya won the chairmanship with 235 votes, while Mr Stephen Balikoowa garnered 225 protest votes against Mr Kiyingi's 38 in absentia.
The elections followed a mediation effort by Dr Odoi, which aimed to harmonise differences and allocate positions to avoid conflict.
The agreement would have seen Mr Kiyingi as vice-chair, Mr Thomas Kategere, the former Kamuli District Chairperson as secretary, Mr Maurice Kibalya, the incumbent Bugabula South MP as publicity secretary, and Mr Basanya as finance secretary at the sub-county level.
However, the Electoral College rejected Dr Odoi's mediation, deeming it guidance rather than a directive, citing concerns that it contravened NRM party ideals of grassroots participation and voters' rights to choose leaders.
"We appreciate the mediation efforts, but we will follow election principles and allow voters to decide, exercising our party democratic rights," said Mr Aga Mutyabule, who later contested against Mr Basanya.
Mr Kategere, however, cautioned against exhausting internal differences in the preliminaries, warning that the opposition could capitalise on any disgruntled supporters.
"We should not exhaust, expose and build internal differences in the preliminaries and team choice yet the opposition is waiting in the shadows to grab and recruit any disgruntled supporter," he advised.
Meanwhile, former Minister of lands, housing and urban development and NRM Elder, Mr Daudi Migereko, has called for peaceful NRM sub-county structures elections, urging candidates to control their supporters and avoid violence.
"Our main concern was and remains to see how to get violence out of these elections. Our politics shouldn’t be guided by violence and or spilling blood," Mr Migereko pointed out.
Mr Migereko also challenged the media to play a responsible role in reporting the elections, focusing on promoting peace rather than fueling chaos.
"Candidates should take control of their supporters, not obsessed with positions... to avoid degenerating into chaotic elections, conflict and community hatred," he added.
