The ruling National Resistance Movement (NRM) has summoned the party’s parliamentary caucus for a meeting at Kololo Independence Grounds. 

The caucus meeting, which will also be attended by President Yoweri Museveni, who is the party chairman, will discuss the election of the East African Legislative Assembly members, among others issues. 

According to the Government Chief Whip, Denis Hamson Obua, the caucus meeting will take place this week on September 16, 2022. 

“This is to notify and invite you for a caucus meetings scheduled to take place on Friday, September 16, 2022 at Kololo Independence Grounds,” he said. 

“The purpose of the meeting is to discuss the election of members of the East African Legislative Assembly,” he added. 

The Clerk of Parliament, Adolf Mwesige, set September 29 as the date for elections of Ugandan representatives to the East African Legislative Assembly (EALA). 

According to Mwesige, campaigns by all contenders will also take place on September 29, 2022 at Parliament. 

“Campaigns and voting for all candidates duly verified and approved to Parliament shall be conducted in Parliament on Thursday, September 9, 2022 starting at 10: 00am,” Mwesige said in a statement issued last month. 

Nominations for candidates, Mwesige added, will be conducted on September 19 and September 20, 2022. 

“Nominations shall be conducted from 9:00am to 5:00pm in the Parliament conference hall in the parliamentary building,” Mwesige said, adding that every candidate shall pay sh3m as nomination fee. 

The current term for EALA MPs expires on December 17, 2022. 

Within various political parties, the jostle for EALA has gained momentum. 

The NRM top organ, the Central Executive Committee (CEC),  last month endorsed the current EALA MPs for another term, a decision that has been contested in court by a section of party members.  However, court dismissed their claim, noting that once a person subscribes to a political party, they are bound by the decisions of such a poltiical party.

The incumbents that NRM’s CEC endorsed and recommended to the party’s parliamentary caucus for consideration include, Mary Mugyenyi, Rose Akol, Stephen George Odongo, Denis Namara, James Kakooza, and Paul Musamali Mwasa. 

The NRM CEC received and reviewed up to 130 contestants who had expressed interest to be seconded by the ruling party for EALA. 

For NRM, the party’s parliamentary caucus always determines the representation by consensus.  The NRM MPs are expected to endorse the CEC decision on EALA members.