By Cyprian Musoke
THE National Resistance Movement will hold its national executive committee (NEC) meeting at State House Entebbe next week.
Addressing journalists at the party headquarters at Kyaddondo Road yesterday, the deputy secretary general, Dorothy Hyuha, called on those invited to turn up for accreditation on Monday.
The NEC, which is the NRM’s policy organ, will meet from January 12-14.
President Yoweri Museveni, the party chairman, will brief the members on matters concerning the State and the manifesto such as security, economy, social services, education and the roads sector, Hyuha stated.
She was flanked by Hassan Galiwango, the party director for cadre identification and recruitment, and Ofwono Opondo, the deputy spokesperson
“The NRM electoral commission will also report to the NEC on the electoral road map, which includes the reconstitution of the party structures to be done between January and March from branch to national level,†Hyuha said in a statement.
The secretary general, Amama Mbabazi will give a report on the status of the party from June 23, 2009 to date, she added.
On reports that the central executive committee (CEC) had, after listening to a report by Mbabazi from his countrywide tours, endorsed the current party leadership to stay on, Hyuha said in the over 50 district conferences she held, members had called for Museveni to stay put.
The CEC, sitting at State House, recently endorsed Museveni as its candidate for the next presidential elections and voted in favour of the retention of the current party leaders in their various positions.
The NRM chief whip, Daudi Migereko, said both decisions were reached during the committee meeting. Museveni chairs the CEC.
Migereko added that the committee had unanimously agreed “that the leadership of Museveni should continue beyond 2011â€.
He, however, said the committee position would presented to the national delegates’ conference, the organ that chooses the party candidate.
At next week’s meeting, Hyuha, who is also the chairperson of the sub-committee set up by the CEC to study the possibility of universal adult suffrage in primaries, will present a report of the findings.
NRM primary elections will be carried out between May and June.
A report is also expected from the issues ad hoc committee that was constituted by the NEC of June 23, 2009, chaired by Margaret Zziwa.
Responding to a query on the ongoing fresh registration by the party, Hyuha said they will send a team to every village to update the records.
Asked whether taking the meeting to State House will not intimidate some members from freely airing their views, she replied: “It is where their chairman resides, and that where he has found room.â€
Any other political party, Hyuha added, is free to go convene a meeting there.
She denied that tax payers’ money was spent on convening the meeting, saying it was funded by members’ contributions.
Hyuha also declined to comment on reports of the resignation of Vice-President Gilbert Bukenya, saying if the were true, the party organs would discuss the matter and work out replacements of the positions he holds as the Wakiso and Buganda region chairman.
