Newly elected NRM MPs summoned to Kyankwanzi

Over 200 newly-elected ruling party Members of Parliament will this Saturday go for a retreat at the National Leadership Institute, Kyankwanzi, Justine Kasule Lumumba, the NRM secretary general has said.

Speaking to journalists today morning at the party headquarters, Plot 10 Kyadondo, Lumumba said that: "The people invited to Kyankwanzi are only elect-MPs on NRM ticket. We shall see how to deal with others (NRM-leaning independents] after the retreat."

According to Usuk County MP-elect, Peter Ogwang, the vice chairperson of the National Resistance Movement (NRM), the retreat, which starts on March 12, will take one week and all the elected party lawmakers are expected to attend.

The purpose, Ogwang explained, is to orient members and also prepare for the 10 Parliament, which starts in May.

"It will mainly center on induction of the new members," Ogwang told New Vision on Tuesday.

(L-R) NRM communications officer Rogers Mulindwa, Lumumba and Uganda Media Center spokesperson, Ofwono Opondo. Photo by Shamim Saad

According to Ofwono Opondo, the NRM deputy spokesperson, the other purpose of the retreat is for the party to shape the next government operations.

Ofwono said that there are 287 MPs-elect on the NRM party card, who will be at NALI—starting this Saturday.

Ogwang told New Vision that lawmakers will be oriented on issues related to party ideology and multi-party dispensation operations in Parliament.

Several lecturers and government officials will be invited to talk to the new lawmakers, especially on the concept of how government operates, the NRM ideology, foreign policy of the country, what is expected from a lawmaker under multi-party democracy, parliamentary caucus operations and the vision of that the ruling party has for the country.

President-elect Yoweri Museveni, who is also the chairman of NRM, is expected to give a keynote address to the MPs and also close the event.

NRM's secretary general Justine Kasule Lumumba is the other key party figure that would address the new lawmakers.

Kyankwanzi, which has been under the Ministry of Defence was recently taken over by the Office of the President for better management and strategic planning.