Four top NRM officials lose positions

By Mary Karugaba and Moses Walubiri

THE NRM’s highest organ, the delegates’ conference, yesterday approved a package of amendments to the party’s constitution that effectively terminated the term of four top officials, including the secretary general, Amama Mbabazi.

The other officials affected by the amendments include the acting secretary general, Dorothy Hyuha, national treasurer Amelia Kyambadde and her deputy, Singh Katongole.

According to the amendments approved yesterday, the four top officials will henceforth be appointed by the chairperson. The officials will henceforth also be ex-officio members of the NRM organs — CEC, NEC and delegates conference, with no right to vote.

The new provisions also require the secretary general, deputy secretary general, national treasurer and deputy treasurer officer office bearers to be full time members of the party, with no other government office. The new amendments also bar them from standing for any elective office, unless they resign their positions six months before nomination day.

The amendments also provide that the terms of the officials holding the positions “shall expire on the date this Article comes into force.”

According to the political parties’ law, a party must notify the national Electoral Commission about changes to its constitution within 21 days after which the commission gazettes the changes within 14 days to take effect. However, tweets by party chairman President Yoweri Museveni’s social media team, the party’s deputy spokesperson, Ofwono Opondo, indicated that names of people proposed for appointment to the positions will be out in January.

The terms of office of the current secretary general, deputy secretary general, national treasurer and the deputy national treasurer were due to expire in September next year. They were elected by the delegates’ conference in 2010.

A statement from State House said in the amendments, it was also agreed, among other issues, that the NRM electoral commission be manned by a full-time employed person, assisted by two deputies, who will all be appointed by the chairman of the party.

“Any member or employee of the electoral commission who wishes to stand for an elective office shall resign his office at least six months before the nomination,” the amendment approved yesterday, states.

The NRM national secretariat will delegate the registration of NRM members to lower levels. The statement said the structure of the secretary general, national treasurer, deputy secretary general, deputy national treasurer, including all the staff of the secretariat, will all be appointed, subject to approval by the National Executive Council (NEC).

“The conference was closed with a prayer by Mrs. Janet Museveni, who thanked God for the successful deliberations. She also prayed to God to give leaders in Uganda the grace to work together for the good of the country and Africa, as well as to continue to preach love, unity and for all people to protect each other as brothers and sisters,” the statement added.

The President reportedly thanked the delegates for endorsing amendments to the party’s constitution.

According to the NRM social media team’s tweets, each amendment was discussed and voted on by show of hands, and when the chairperson read out the amendment proposing the appointment of the secretary general, no delegate opposed the amendment.

“Those against can you show your hands? I don’t see any,” Museveni was quoted as saying. 

The amendment consequently sailed through. The amendments were first discussed and approved by the Central Executive Committee and the National Executive Committee, which met at State House, Entebbe, over the weekend.

During the meeting yesterday, the amendments were reportedly tabled by the party-legal team leader, Adolf Mwesige and seconded by delegates from all regions.

Justice and constitutional affairs minister Kahinda Otafire reportedly called for a secretariat that will make the party dynamic. He also asked the delegates to ensure peace during discussion.

The delegates’ conference also approved amendment to expand the CEC membership to include the national chairperson, the first national vice-chairperson, second vice-chairperson (female), six vice-chairpersons representing the regions of Uganda, NRM caucus chairperson, all chairpersons of the national special leagues, chairpersons of commissions and five eminent persons.