NRM primaries: Mawogola North, West elections set for Monday

The NRM electoral commission has set Monday, September 28, 2020 as the new date for election in Mawogola North and Mawogola West constituencies in the party primaries after the same was postponed.

Elections in both constituencies were early this month postponed to allow investigations into acts of violence against some of the candidates.

In Mawogola West, postponement followed accusations by Hanifa Kawooya Bangirana that her opponent, Joseph Ssekabiito, the incumbent MP had ordered his supporters to beat her up.

In Mawogola North, the contest is between Godfrey Aine Kaguta and Shartis Kutesa Musherure both close to the First family but polls were postponed after incidents of violence in the area.

On Wednesday,Dr.Tanga Odoi, the NRM electoral commission chairperson said he had finished meeting all the candidates and that everything is set for the election to happen next week.

“We shall start with the constituency Member of Parliament and then the election for Woman MP will come later,” Tanga said.

He however insisted that candidates should desist from any acts of violence.

President Museveni recently meet all the political leaders in Sembabule district over the postponed elections in the party primaries for both Mawogola North and Mawogola West constituencies in Sembabule District to a later date.

In one of the constituencies (Mawogola North),the bloody contest is between Godfrey Aine Kaguta and Shartis Kutesa Musherure both close to the First family but polls were postponed after incidents of violence in the area.

Whereas Musherure is the daughter to foreign affairs minister Sam Kutesa and Sodo Aine Kaguta is President Museveni’s brother, both camps clashed in the build-up to last week’s election leaving many injured, prompting the ruling party electoral commission to suspend the elections.

Speaking to the leaders, Museveni warned them against dragging his name into the election.

“Do not put my name Yoweri Kaguta Museveni in issues of politics where my relatives are. My relatives are all and any NRM member who do the right thing according to the party Constitution,” Museveni said.

The President, who is also the NRM party chairman said it is wrong to have his name mentioned in affairs where his relatives are involved on their own.

Museveni said there is a big problem where people in higher positions in the party support their relatives to fight other contenders.

He said he would refer the matter to the party top organ, the Central Executive Committee for redress.

“I am going to bring this issue to CEC about people who are in higher NRM positions supporting their relatives to fight other NRM contenders. That’s not leadership,” he said.

Museveni implored the political leaders to return to the basic of the National Resistance Movement ideology which emphasizes that politics is for working for people and not to earn money.

“The main reason why people are fighting hard to go to Parliament is because  MPs increased their salary. They earn more than scientists and many other important people to our country. I tried telling them not to do it but they insisted. Now, people want to leave their other work to go to Parliament and earn much. Yet, their motivation should be to serve their people rather than earn from Parliament,”Museveni said.

“Politics is working for the people, to get them out of poverty and solve their problems, not to escape poverty for your own self.”