New NRM party officials 'not to run in 2016'

Feb 01, 2015

The newly appointed NRM executives have been directed not to contest for Parliamentary seats in the upcoming 2016 elections.


By Cyprian Musoke

KAMPALA - The newly appointed National Resistance Movement (NRM) executives have been directed not to contest for Parliamentary seats in the upcoming 2016 elections.

This, according to new Secretary General Kasule Lumumba, is to ensure that they devote all their time to party to work for victory for the National Resistance Movement in 2016 and subsequent elections.

According to the new Party Secretary General Kasule Lumumba, this is to ensure they become full time party employees, after they receive their employment letters.

“The President is in the process of making new ministerial appointments to replace us in the next reshuffle. The party took a decision that we remain MPs for our remaining  two years but we were asked not to go back to contest in 2016 once we agree to the positions,” she said.

“This will create an enabling environment for us to perform full-time  and make the Secretariat robust for us to win more elections,” she added.

She said they hadn’t yet taken office as space was limited and new offices yet to be prepared for them.

Besides, they are yet to receive their appointment letters and terms of reference.

When New Vision visited the party offices at plot 10 Kyaddondo road in uptown Kampala, they were still empty.

In January, NRM- National Executive Council (NEC) appointed a new Secretariat, replacing former Secretary General Amama Mbabazi and his executive.

Deputy Secretary General designate Richard Todwong told New Vision Saturday that they were awaiting their appointment letters and terms of reference before they can occupy office.

“We haven’t yet started work until we get our terms of reference and appointment letters then we shall take office. But as of now we cannot know where to begin from,” he said.

The last January CEC meeting endorsed Justine Kasule Lumumba as the Secretary General, Todwong as her deputy, Rose Namayanja as National Treasurer and Kenneth Omona as Deputy National Treasurer.

Asked whether they will  not miss ministerial perks and grandeur after relinquishing  their MP and ministerial positions he said that they only go where the appointing authority sends them.

”I am a cadre and I go wherever the party or appointing authority sends me. When he appointed us ministers we did not make any application so when he redeploys us why should we refuse? We are only loyal cadres of the Movement,” he said.

The CEC also endorsed Makerere University lecturer Dr. Tanga Odoi as Chairperson of the NRM Electoral Commission with  John Arimpa Kigyagi  as Vice Chairperson,  Jane Babiiha Alisemera as a member.

Asked whether they (MPs) would campaign to regain their constituencies in 2016, Todwong said they are not allowed to campaign for the constituencies but be full time party officials.

“This is to enable us devote all our time and energies to full-time party work,” he added.

President Museveni has recently expressed happiness that the  youth were now working with their parents  under one roof of NRM.

He expressed confidence that the 57,000 branches of NRM in the country would be linked. He said that the Secretariat would be working on NRM matters for 12 hours daily adding that opposition MPs in Uganda had now become an endangered species.

He attributed this to the reactivation of the Secretariat with young blood and the commitment to boosting house hold incomes.

He revealed that new ministers would be appointed to replace those that had now got the new appointments at the secretariat.

In his maiden remarks, the new Chairperson of the NRM Electoral Commission, Dr. Tanga Odoi urged members to carry the Party higher than before.

Lumumba, thanked the members for their trust saying that they have a duty to make a national network from the center to the grassroots. She revealed that they would channel all the energy to build NRM.
 

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