By Patrick Jaramogi
It is far from over for the ‘NRM Independents’ who decided to contest for various election posts in the country. President Yoweri Museveni, the National Resistance Movement Party chairperson has not backed any independent, the Investigator can reveal.
After a meeting that President Museveni held with over 40 independents, at State House Entebbe during the week, scores of independents came out of the meeting and told media houses that Museveni was “behind them”. But their joy was short lived when the NRM Party Secretary General Justine Kasule Lumumba who attended the meeting lashed out at them and accused them for spreading falsehood about the president.
“Let me make this very clear. The president and NRM party chairman has not said he supports any independents to contest. It is not true that President Museveni Okayed them to stand,” she said on Saturday.
Lumumba she said what is happening is that Museveni met the independents and agreed that the Central Executive Committee (CEC), NRM;’s top apex decision making body hears their pleas since they claim that the secretariat didn’t give them a fair hearing. The Investigator has learnt that the reconciliation team named by CEC will be chaired by the Prime Minister Dr. Ruhakana Rugunda with members comprising of Kirunda Kivejjinja, David Mafabi and deputy secretary General Richard Todwong among others. Similarly another committee headed by Hajji Abbey Mukwaya that was in Kanungu for similar reconciliatory meetings will also join to support the CEC approved team.
According to Lumumba, it is indiscipline for a minister who lost out in the primaries to contest as an independent. ‘Are they saying they can only serve the party as flag bearers? If you lost in the primary and wish to contest as an independent, then you cease being an NRM member and must return the card to me,” said Lumumba. Lumumba said much as many NRM members who lost in the primaries had been nominated, the negotiating team will talk to each of them before the election in February. “It is good if we work as a team and not in isolation. The more we are when united, the better for the party,” she said. So far at least 10 ministers who lost in the NRM primaries have been nominated as independents. The likes of Aida Nantaba State Minister for Lands (Kayunga woman), Gen, Kahinda Otafiire (Ruhinda), Justice and Constitutional Affairs, Asuman Kiyingi, Flavia Munaaba, Jessica Alupo (Katakwi Women) Education minister among others are according to Lumumba indiscplined and sowing seeds of hatred. “There are some party members who think they are untouchable but as leaders they are in disciplined and we shall use the party constitution to handle them,” warned Lumumba. “It is not right for a minister to stand as an independent,” she added.
She said it was so unfortunate that some members lost, acknowledged that they lost, even shook hands with the winners, didn’t petition and went ahead to pick nomination forms as independents. ‘These will not be allowed. I have been given to powers as party secretary General to deal with such people,” she said. She said the President has tasked the team to start with meeting Justice Affairs Minister and CEC and NRM Historical member Kahinda Otafiire followed by NRM national deputy vice chairperson for Karamoja, who lost in the Primaries but has decided to contest as an independent for Moroto Municipality. The two senior NRM members have reported to the President that their decision to contest as independents was because the secretariat didn’t give them a fair hearing.
Speaking during a radio talk show, Lumumba said the position of the National Resistance Movement (NRM) the ruling party is very clear, when you lose in the primaries, you don’t contest for any seat as an independent. She noted that those who defy rule 4 of the NRM constitution will be handled with rule number 5 that will see them dismissed from the party.
Similarly senior Presidential Advisor on Political affairs Moses Byaruhanga echoed the secretary general’s remarks when he said the statements made that President Museveni backed independents was not official statement from State House or NRM secretariat. “It is the Secretary General as the top party official supposed to issue such statements and not anybody else,” said Byaruhanga.