Museveni advises NRM losers
Jan 03, 2006
PRESIDENT Yoweri Museveni yesterday advised NRM losers in the primaries not to contest as independents because they would split the party vote.
By Henry Mukasa
PRESIDENT Yoweri Museveni yesterday advised NRM losers in the primaries not to contest as independents because they would split the party vote.
Museveni, campaigning in Kisoro, defended the Movement achievements and asked the people there to vote for him for the third term.
Museveni, who drove to Kisoro from Kabale on a winding dusty road of the mountainous districts, told the residents to reject other parties, saying they could not lead Uganda.
“I am here to ask you to vote for other Movement candidates who are not unopposed and also vote for your old man Yoweri Museveni to continue leading the country,†Museveni told a mammoth rally in Kabale town yesterday.
Major Kakooza Mutale is accompanying Museveni with a band that entertains jubilant supporters.
Ministers Sam Bitangaro and Nsaba Buturo were also present.
Museveni addressed another rally on the hills of Gifumba in Busongora East where Nsaba Buturo is MP.
Museveni drove to the Saza grounds in a long convoy led by bodaboda motor-cyclists and bicycle riders, chanting and honking their bikes’ horns.
Museveni said the purpose of the primaries was to avoid splitting the Movement votes.
“Those who did not go through may have grievances. I am ready to involve myself in solving those grievances.
“The idea of independent candidates is retrogressive. I appeal to you to avoid that problem,†he said
“When Jesus was going to heaven, he told his disciples that there are many rooms in my father’s house.
“I am not saying the Movement is Jesus but there are many rooms in the Movement. Even if you are not an MP, you can do other things.â€
He said in 1979 when they went for the Moshi Conference in Tanzania, the organisers had not done a good job, because they did not weigh the strengths of various groups that they had invited. Some groups had one person, others had two and for me, I was leading FRONASA with 9,000 soldiers in Mbarara.
“But we were given two seats to be nominated for the NCC. I gave one seat to Eriya Kategaya and another to Fr. Okoth.
“I had no seat there. But now you see me,†a beaming Museveni said as the crowd cheered.
“The fact that I missed that seat did not mean it was the end of the world,†Museveni said.
He advised the losers to take some steps back like someone preparing to run, gain momentum and wait for another round of elections.
Museveni said “what the Movement has done can even be seen by the blind.â€
Museveni enumerated construction of schools, Universal Primary Education, health centres and ambulances, and nationwide security as some of the major achievements of the Movement.
He said Kisoro now has electricity and piped water.
He said the peaceful atmosphere created by the Movement had led to the mushrooming of bungalows with green and brown iron-sheets.
He promised to extend electricity from Kabale through Rubanda to areas, which have no power in Kisoro. Kisoro now uses power imported from Rwanda.
He thanked the district for electing Philemon Mateke unopposed as the LC5 chairman, saying it was proof that the Movement was so dominant in Kisoro.
He promised micro-finance and to repair the Kisoro-Kabale road.
He said the new slogan was wealth for all (boona bagagawale).
PRESIDENT Yoweri Museveni yesterday advised NRM losers in the primaries not to contest as independents because they would split the party vote.
Museveni, campaigning in Kisoro, defended the Movement achievements and asked the people there to vote for him for the third term.
Museveni, who drove to Kisoro from Kabale on a winding dusty road of the mountainous districts, told the residents to reject other parties, saying they could not lead Uganda.
“I am here to ask you to vote for other Movement candidates who are not unopposed and also vote for your old man Yoweri Museveni to continue leading the country,†Museveni told a mammoth rally in Kabale town yesterday.
Major Kakooza Mutale is accompanying Museveni with a band that entertains jubilant supporters.
Ministers Sam Bitangaro and Nsaba Buturo were also present.
Museveni addressed another rally on the hills of Gifumba in Busongora East where Nsaba Buturo is MP.
Museveni drove to the Saza grounds in a long convoy led by bodaboda motor-cyclists and bicycle riders, chanting and honking their bikes’ horns.
Museveni said the purpose of the primaries was to avoid splitting the Movement votes.
“Those who did not go through may have grievances. I am ready to involve myself in solving those grievances.
“The idea of independent candidates is retrogressive. I appeal to you to avoid that problem,†he said
“When Jesus was going to heaven, he told his disciples that there are many rooms in my father’s house.
“I am not saying the Movement is Jesus but there are many rooms in the Movement. Even if you are not an MP, you can do other things.â€
He said in 1979 when they went for the Moshi Conference in Tanzania, the organisers had not done a good job, because they did not weigh the strengths of various groups that they had invited. Some groups had one person, others had two and for me, I was leading FRONASA with 9,000 soldiers in Mbarara.
“But we were given two seats to be nominated for the NCC. I gave one seat to Eriya Kategaya and another to Fr. Okoth.
“I had no seat there. But now you see me,†a beaming Museveni said as the crowd cheered.
“The fact that I missed that seat did not mean it was the end of the world,†Museveni said.
He advised the losers to take some steps back like someone preparing to run, gain momentum and wait for another round of elections.
Museveni said “what the Movement has done can even be seen by the blind.â€
Museveni enumerated construction of schools, Universal Primary Education, health centres and ambulances, and nationwide security as some of the major achievements of the Movement.
He said Kisoro now has electricity and piped water.
He said the peaceful atmosphere created by the Movement had led to the mushrooming of bungalows with green and brown iron-sheets.
He promised to extend electricity from Kabale through Rubanda to areas, which have no power in Kisoro. Kisoro now uses power imported from Rwanda.
He thanked the district for electing Philemon Mateke unopposed as the LC5 chairman, saying it was proof that the Movement was so dominant in Kisoro.
He promised micro-finance and to repair the Kisoro-Kabale road.
He said the new slogan was wealth for all (boona bagagawale).