NRM rebel MPs contest Museveni's sole candidature

Eleven NRM legislators have dragged their party to the Constitutional court seeking to declare as null and void the resolution by the Central Executive Committee (CEC) to declare President Museveni as NRM's sole candidate for the 2021 presidential elections.

The MPs are: Lwemiyaga MP, Theodore Ssekikubo, Barnabas Tinkasiimiire, Mbwatekamwa Gaffa, Monicah Amonding, John Baptist Nambeshe, Patrick Nsamba, Samuel Lyomoki, Sylvia Akello, Susan Amero, James Acidri and Moses Adome Bildard.

The legislators argue that the decision by NRM CEC to choose President Museveni as a sole candidate is an abuse of democracy that he preaches.

" How can we have democracy when the country’s party in leadership cannot even respect it?" questioned Gaffa Mbwatekamwa, the MP for Kasambya County.

Sylvia Akello, the Woman MP for Otuke said some of them have ambitions to stand as president but they are being told to wait.

"They defeated us in the age limit but with this one it will be impossible," she said.

The legislators through their lawyer, Caleb Alaka explained that the Chobe Safari Lodge meeting suffocated the interests of other party members.

"This thing of President Museveni herding us like he is herding cattle...he went with CEC members in the middle of national park where there are lions and hyenas and he forced them to confirm him as a sole candidate," Theodore Ssekikubo said.

The MPs also challenged the decision by the Chief Whip Rosemary Nankabirwa to block them from  attending the NRM caucus retreat in kyankwanzi.