NRM Moves to Clean House Ahead of Polls
The ruling National Resistance Movement party has dispersed a team of senior officials across the country as it moves to put its house in order , few days to the elections in the six newly created municipalities of Apac ,Bugiri, Nebbi ,Kotido and Njeru.
Prime Minister Dr Ruhakana Rugunda will head to Shema on Tuesday to try to reconcile the different parties following sharp disagreements that emerged out of the controversial candidature of Shema north mp and science and technology minister Elioda Tumwesigye.
Elioda though sitting mp for Shema north is a candidate in the municipality parliamentary race in what has created scores of independents allied to the party.
The task ahead of Rugunda will be to persuade the independents back into the yellow bus to fight off the possibility of losing the seat to the opposition forum for democratic change that has launched an aggressive onslaught on the municipality through its candidate Plan Mugenyi.
Secretary general Justine Kasule Lumumbs’s tour of duty started in Kotido municipality where she addressed the leadership of the party at Good Shepherd hall as she preached the gospel of reconciliation warning party faithful against internal bickering.
The ruling party is fronting Peter Lokii for the municipality parliamentary seat
Lumumba’s visit follows an aggressive campaign by the FDC led by Secretary General Nandala Mafabi who has been chest thumping about securing seats in the council with unopposed candidates
Lumumba will on Wednesday cross to her home turf of Bugiri in an election that will be a test of her political muscle.
She will lead the yellow brigade in the race to stamp their presence in the new municipality amidst a strong challenge from the FDC’s Eunice Namatende and Jema’s Asuman Basalirwa backed by opposition strong men Dr Kizza Besigye and Kyadondo East law maker Robert Kyagulanyi Ssentamu respectively.
One of the NRM leaning indpendents and former Bugiri district chairman Siraji Lyavala has already publicly backed Jema’s Asuman Basalirwa.
Eastern region boss flight captain Mike Mukula will man Njeru municipality in a bid to win the mayoral seat in an area facing massive internal bickering in the party.
Richard Todwong, the deputy Secretary General will be in Nebbi to back up the local party structures in a highly unpredictable terrain where the FDC has fronted a strong candidate.
The NRM will not only have to diffuse the FDC strong force but also convince the scores of NRM leaning independents to back the flag bearer.
Former public service minister Patrick Okumu Ringa went independent after losing in the primaries in a a race that also features former Nebbi woman mp Betty Udongo pacutho an NRM leaning candidate
The NRM’s nightmare remains the likely impact of a divided vote against a united Forum for Democratic Change.
In the other deployments ,deputy treasurer Dr Kenneth Omona will be in Apac while central executive committee member James Tweheyo will be the man to do the job in Ibanda municipality.
The six municipalities go to the polls on the 27 of this month
