PRAU members threaten to boycott upcoming election over sole candidate move

A section of members of the Public Relations Association of Uganda have threatened to boycott participating in the association’s forthcoming elections.

PRAU is set to hold its election on Saturday September 1 after expiry of the current body’s terms of two years in May.

Initially, Muhereza Kyamutetera had stood for the post but later pulled out of the race over unknown reasons. However, the Nile Post has learnt of a scheme to force certain candidates out of the race in favour of a ‘sole candidate’.

According to some members who preferred anonymity there is a certain group in the association referred to as the historicals led by former president Henry Rugambwa and Sheila Kangwagye who are accused of fronting a certain candidate to become the president.

“The historicals want to determine who will lead the organisation for their own selfish interests,” said a source who preferred anonymity so as to comment freely on the matter.

Smear campaign

This website has learnt of a smear campaign against whoever tries to stand against the candidate backed by the PRAU historical.

Our sources learnt  that Kyamutetera’s clients were called by a certain group of people accusing him of being an extortionist.

It is said that the smear campaign forced Kyamutetera out of the race though he didn't admit it when contacted.

“My reasons were simple. It’s basically work pressure and pressure from other associations that I am part of,”Kyamutetera told the Nile Post when contacted.

“No one threatened me.”

Historical speak out

When contacted, Henry Rugambwa, one of the old guns accused of being behind the scheme for a sole candidate denied the allegations saying that can never happen.

“There is nothing like frustration of any candidate that I know of. I have no interest in frustrating anybody,”Rugambwa told the Nile Post.

“So far there are two candidates and nomination ends tomorrow. The election is not a process one would interfere with.”

However, Sheila Kangwagye, one of the other persons accused of being behind the frustration did not pick our repeated calls.

Meanwhile, a section of PRAU members have since threatened to boycott the elections over what they termed as a smear campaign to force certain members out of the race.

Bickering

It is said that the in fights have lived within the Public Relations Association of Uganda for a long time.

According to trusted sources within the body, the outgoing president Cynthia Mpanga has found a hard time during her tenure due to wars against her by her own governing board.

The board comprising John Fisher Ssekabira, Stella Ndiwalana, Sheila Kangwagye and Peter Odeke among other members on one side are said to be fighting against the president, Cynthia Mpanga.

Meanwhile, by  the time we published this story,  Sarah Kagingo had also picked nomination forms to join the race for the  PRAU presidency following Kyamutetera's pullout.

She will now battle with UMEME's David Birungi for PRAU's top position.