I warned NRM leaders on polls - minister
Minister Nyanzi with his supporters after being nominated last weekend. Photo by Jessica Nabukenya.
Mityana. State Minister in the office of the vice president, Mr Vincent Nyanzi, has said he warned ruling NRM top leaders that the party electoral commission had no capacity to organise free and fair internal polls, but his advice was ignored.
Mr Nyanzi, who is standing as an Independent candidate for Busujju County seat, a position he has held for over three terms, said the mess in the party primaries dented the image of the party and all the officials who were involved need to be cautioned.
“I warned NRM party officials earlier that they lacked capacity to hold free and fair elections, but they never listened. They would have given those people training in election management first rather than conducting such a sham exercise,” he said.
In the recent party elections, Mr Nyanzi was defeated by Mr Steven Kafalanga, a Mityana- based businessman by 7,900 votes against 7,000 votes.
Speaking to his supporters at Maanyi Sub-county headquarters in Mityana District last Friday, Mr Nyanzi said he is better positioned to retain his seat because he performed well as a legislator.
Mr Nyanzi will face off with five others including DP’s Richard Lumu, Mr Stephen Kafalanga (NRM), Mr Robert Mugambwa (Independent), Mr Garvin Kasirye Gwanga (Independent), son of Brig Kasirye Gwanga, and Mr David Lukyamuzi (Independent).
Mr Nyanzi is one of the seven ministers who were nominated as Independent candidates, having lost in the primary elections.
When contacted, the NRM media specialist, Mr Rogers Mulindwa, dismissed Mr Nyanzi’s claims, saying the minister was simply using it as an excuse to justify his loss in the primary election.
