150 MPs join Kakooza Mutale’s Kalangala Action Plan
Apr 20, 2005
OVER 150 ministers and MPs mainly belonging to the National Resistance Movement have joined Major Roland Kakooza Mutale’s NGO, the Civic Education for Development Organisation (CEDO).
By Joyce Namutebi and Emmanuel Mulondo
OVER 150 ministers and MPs mainly belonging to the National Resistance Movement have joined Major Roland Kakooza Mutale’s NGO, the Civic Education for Development Organisation (CEDO).
Sitenda Ssebalu (Kyadondo East), the coordinator and chairman of the group’s interim executive in Parliament, said yesterday they would soon embark on nationwide civic education. CEDO is the business and project implementation arm of Kalangala Action Plan (KAP).
However, opposition MPs criticised the move as illegal. They questioned the wisdom of joining an illegal organisation which is under investigation.
Mutale, who is chairman and national coordinator of CEDO/KAP), recently appeared before the parliamentary committee on defence and internal affairs that is investigating KAP and said he was being persecuted. However, he said the NGO’s certificate of registration expired and they filed papers for renewal.
Mutale told the committee chaired by Amon Muzoora that CEDO/KAP was not illegal, “because we assumed a corporate legal status.†He said the press was paid to recycle stories against him.
Some MPs said they joined CEDO to safeguard their positions. They said the Electoral Commission was likely to give money to the NGO to carry out civic education and that they would not want other people to do the job in their constituencies.
“People are desperate. It is so sickening,†said Salaamu Musumba (bugabula south). She said she could not join CEDO because “it is not within our code.â€
Sitenda said the group, with 1,000 Movement mobilisers, would meet in Kalangala on May 16 to draw a strategy to reinvigorate the Movement.
“We want to put steam in the Movement. Among our objectives is ensuring that President Museveni becomes our candidate in 2006,†he said as he waved a copy of the register signed by the individuals. Kalangala woman MP Ruth Nvumetta Kavuma recently said her people were haunted by the association of their district to a group accused of torturing opposition supporters.
She is, however, among the new members.
Sitenda said he was chairman of the interim executive, Moses Kizige and Karooro Okurut were vice-chairpersons, Jacky Kyatuhaire secretary general, Hope Mwesigye treasurer, Freddie Ruhindi and Alex Akile legal, Patrick Ochieng and Hanifa Kawooya for field operations, Capt. David Matovu and Mulindwa Birimumaaso counter-intelligence, while Maj. James Kinobe and Pereza Ahabwe are spokesmen.
Ends
OVER 150 ministers and MPs mainly belonging to the National Resistance Movement have joined Major Roland Kakooza Mutale’s NGO, the Civic Education for Development Organisation (CEDO).
Sitenda Ssebalu (Kyadondo East), the coordinator and chairman of the group’s interim executive in Parliament, said yesterday they would soon embark on nationwide civic education. CEDO is the business and project implementation arm of Kalangala Action Plan (KAP).
However, opposition MPs criticised the move as illegal. They questioned the wisdom of joining an illegal organisation which is under investigation.
Mutale, who is chairman and national coordinator of CEDO/KAP), recently appeared before the parliamentary committee on defence and internal affairs that is investigating KAP and said he was being persecuted. However, he said the NGO’s certificate of registration expired and they filed papers for renewal.
Mutale told the committee chaired by Amon Muzoora that CEDO/KAP was not illegal, “because we assumed a corporate legal status.†He said the press was paid to recycle stories against him.
Some MPs said they joined CEDO to safeguard their positions. They said the Electoral Commission was likely to give money to the NGO to carry out civic education and that they would not want other people to do the job in their constituencies.
“People are desperate. It is so sickening,†said Salaamu Musumba (bugabula south). She said she could not join CEDO because “it is not within our code.â€
Sitenda said the group, with 1,000 Movement mobilisers, would meet in Kalangala on May 16 to draw a strategy to reinvigorate the Movement.
“We want to put steam in the Movement. Among our objectives is ensuring that President Museveni becomes our candidate in 2006,†he said as he waved a copy of the register signed by the individuals. Kalangala woman MP Ruth Nvumetta Kavuma recently said her people were haunted by the association of their district to a group accused of torturing opposition supporters.
She is, however, among the new members.
Sitenda said he was chairman of the interim executive, Moses Kizige and Karooro Okurut were vice-chairpersons, Jacky Kyatuhaire secretary general, Hope Mwesigye treasurer, Freddie Ruhindi and Alex Akile legal, Patrick Ochieng and Hanifa Kawooya for field operations, Capt. David Matovu and Mulindwa Birimumaaso counter-intelligence, while Maj. James Kinobe and Pereza Ahabwe are spokesmen.
Ends