NRM concedes defeat
Feb 17, 2010
THE National Resistance Movement (NRM) has conceded defeat by the Forum for Democratic Change (FDC) candidate, Jack Wamai Wamanga, in the Tuesday Mbale municipality byelection.
By Moses Mulondo
THE National Resistance Movement (NRM) has conceded defeat by the Forum for Democratic Change (FDC) candidate, Jack Wamai Wamanga, in the Tuesday Mbale municipality byelection.
“NRM hereby congratulates the winner, Jack Wamanga, and all the other candidates for participating in the race.
“This is testimony to the fact that Ugandans believe in the democratisation process being supervised by the Government.
“While NRM would wish to win every seat, it is not practically possible. Democracy must triumph always,†said NRM spokesperson, Mary Karooro Okurut.
She was addressing journalists yesterday with her deputy, Ofwono Opondo, at their newly-established Communications Bureau in Kamwokya.
Karooro argued that for FDC to win the seat, it was a donation from the NRM.
“As you noticed, we had two candidates in the race and they both emerged among the best three. If the 3,875 votes scored by the official NRM candidate, John Wekesa Wambogo and the 1,199 votes from Dr. James Shinyabulo Mutende had all been for one person, Wamanga would have been defeated,†Karooro argued. Wamanga had 4,776 votes.
She said since the Mbale district chairperson and most of the district council belongs to the NRM, it would be easy for her party to reclaim the seat in the 2011 general elections.
Referring to the Biblical story of the two women who went to King Solomon each claiming ownership of one baby, Karooro said the NRM members who are defeated in the party primaries and still go ahead to contest as independents are like the woman who wanted the baby to be divided.
She said they hoped that the recent NRM resolution of resorting to adult suffrage instead of electoral colleges would help minimise the problem of NRM members running as independents after being defeated in party primaries.
“NRM appeals to all its members and leaders to be disciplined when handling internal and external party matters, especially the political processes. Failure to adhere to party discipline costs us popularity,†she said.
THE National Resistance Movement (NRM) has conceded defeat by the Forum for Democratic Change (FDC) candidate, Jack Wamai Wamanga, in the Tuesday Mbale municipality byelection.
“NRM hereby congratulates the winner, Jack Wamanga, and all the other candidates for participating in the race.
“This is testimony to the fact that Ugandans believe in the democratisation process being supervised by the Government.
“While NRM would wish to win every seat, it is not practically possible. Democracy must triumph always,†said NRM spokesperson, Mary Karooro Okurut.
She was addressing journalists yesterday with her deputy, Ofwono Opondo, at their newly-established Communications Bureau in Kamwokya.
Karooro argued that for FDC to win the seat, it was a donation from the NRM.
“As you noticed, we had two candidates in the race and they both emerged among the best three. If the 3,875 votes scored by the official NRM candidate, John Wekesa Wambogo and the 1,199 votes from Dr. James Shinyabulo Mutende had all been for one person, Wamanga would have been defeated,†Karooro argued. Wamanga had 4,776 votes.
She said since the Mbale district chairperson and most of the district council belongs to the NRM, it would be easy for her party to reclaim the seat in the 2011 general elections.
Referring to the Biblical story of the two women who went to King Solomon each claiming ownership of one baby, Karooro said the NRM members who are defeated in the party primaries and still go ahead to contest as independents are like the woman who wanted the baby to be divided.
She said they hoped that the recent NRM resolution of resorting to adult suffrage instead of electoral colleges would help minimise the problem of NRM members running as independents after being defeated in party primaries.
“NRM appeals to all its members and leaders to be disciplined when handling internal and external party matters, especially the political processes. Failure to adhere to party discipline costs us popularity,†she said.