Museveni wants lining up adopted in NRM primaries

President Yoweri Museveni, who is also the chairperson of the ruling National Resistance Movement has said that the party is considering lining up behind candidates while electing flag bearers as a way to avert divisions and chaos.

Museveni made the statements at Lomukura grounds in Kotido Municipality where he was campaigning for NRM candidates ahead of the upcoming elections.

The NRM primaries have been rocked with chaos time and again, with many rejecting results and choosing to stand as independent candidates. Previously, Museveni blamed the chaos on dishonesty and past leadership at the party secretariat.

The same is for Kotido where the parliamentary seat for the municipality was given to Abaraham Peter Lokii but his rival Aporu Jean Mark contests the election claiming it was irregular and marred with ballot stuffing. The situation has further split NRM members in the district with others supporting Aporu, prompting Museveni’s change in solution.

“Some people complain that in primaries, there is cheating and so on that is why last time we brought up lining up. Now with lining, no more arguments we may have to bring lining for primaries so that we stop this,” Museveni said to cheers and ululation.

“About cohesion in the party, I want you to know that we are like a football team. While some players are on the pitch, others are on the reserve bench. If the ones on the pitch don't play well, we shall get the substitutes at the next match. We must have this discipline,” he added.

Unlike other districts of Karamoja where only NRM fields candidates, Kotido Municipality has candidates from opposition parties for both MP and Mayoral elections.  The opposition Forum for Democratic Change-FDC party and People's Progressive Party have fronted Moses Oriono Okot and Emmanuel Keem respectively for the parliamentary seat

Calistas Adome Lokwi is the FDC mayoral candidate while Daniel Abual Kapel is running on the PPP ticket. Both seats have NRM leaning independents including Jean Mark Aporu for MP and Henry Evans Kubal for mayor.

While NRM took 230 slots in the just concluded LC1 polls, FDC also took 20 slots. Even in the ongoing Kotido Municipal elections, FDC has allegedly secured 21 councilors unopposed. Electoral Commission has set Friday 27 July for the Kotido Municipality polls.

 

Additional courtesy reporting