NRM EALA losers petition court

By Henry Sekanjako and Joyce Namutebi

National Resistance Movement (NRM) losers for the East African legislative assembly (EALA) primaries on Tuesday started soliciting for signatures to petition the Constitutional Court to protest the party primaries conducted on Monday in the wee hours of the night.

The losers claim that the primaries did not cater for special interests groups such as people with disabilities (PWDS), workers, and the youth as required by Article 50 of the treaty.

On Monday, the ruling party held elections and endorsed six candidates out of the 25 NRM candidates as official flag bearers for the party.

The six are Dora Byamukama ,Benard Mulengani, Margaret Zziwa, Mike Sebalu, NusuraTiperu, and Dan Kidega, all EALA MP incumbents.

One of the losers, Jeremiah Kamurali who is spearheading the petition said they want court to declare NRM elections null and void to cater for special interest groups.

"According to Article 50 of the treaty, it is the ruling party in Parliament that caters for these groups. We are giving them a letter of intention to sue. NRM should put a slot for the special interest groups. If they don't, the elections shall be null and void," Kamurali told New Vision online on Tuesday.

Kamulali said he had so far collected 50 signatures from NRM members with 10 from the losers. He listed some of the losers that had appended their signatures on the petition as Stephen Asiimwe, Kwame Rugunda, Denis Namara, Florence Ddudu, Phibby Otaala and Sarah Kagingo.

Others are Ambrose Murangira, Captain Mugalula, Paul Musamali and Kezimibira Ssempijja.

Kamulari said they wanted the Constitutional Court to put an injunction on the election of the six candidates as official flag bearers for the party until other interest groups are involved.

However the NRM parliamentary caucus publicity secretary, Evelyn Anite advised the petitioners to address their petition to the party and not the Court, saying the elections were at a party primary level.

The opposition political parties in Parliament also recently differed with the NRM modalities of electing the EALA legislators, saying it was abusing Article 50 of the treaty which calls for representation of all political parties and shades of opinion.