I will not leave NRM because I started it - Mbabazi

Former Prime Minister, Amama Mbabazi has said that he has no intentions of leaving the ruling National Resistance Movement (NRM) political party saying ,' It is me who started it together with my colleagues, why should I leave it'.

He said, "I'm NRM who is a Movementist, who believes in the unity of all Ugandans". He however repeated his quotes by saying 'intelligence means knowing the right thing but wisdom means knowing when to say it'.  

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The former premier was speaking to students of Makerere University at the Faculty of Technology where he was guest of honour at the handover ceremony by the outgoing guild speaker, Chak Benson who passed over the instruments of power to his successor Jothan Burobuto Yamulebire.

 

Ivan Bwowe, the outgoing guild president and the incoming, David Bala sat with Mbabazi on the high table where he handed over medals, trophies and other prizes to leaders for their distinguished roles. Other guild leaders in the outgoing cabinet received certificates, medals and trophies in recognition of their role in the students' administration.

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Mbabazi who said was happy to witness a peaceful handover of power was invited to Makerere to speak on 'the role of youth/students in nation building'.

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Mbabazi said the youth were central stakeholders in the present and future of the nation, saying the prosperity of the country would depend on how much it can invest in the youth.
 

"Your day is not tomorrow as others say, my conviction is that today is your day….", he said.

Mbabazi said he had done his part because as a youth history imposed on him and his contemporaries the responsibility to liberate Uganda and asked the current youth to go a step higher.
 

"My job is to lead you to perform your responsibilities to raise Uganda," he said.

 

Mbabazi's address was constantly interrupted by chants from a group of youth who were waving his portraits and singing songs, 'Twagala Mbabazi' (we want Mbabazi). They asked him to be their 'sole' presidential candidate in the coming elections.

"I say these words and I'm going to repeat them in the days to come. I came here and I don't want to sound partisan but I say this because I have been provoked and because there was a comment. I belong to NRM. I'm NRM and i have no intentions of leaving it," he told the students amidst cheers.

 

He encouraged students to go and check their names in the voters' register and be able to qualify to cast their vote 'correctly to be able to determine the destiny of Uganda'.
 

A group that was suspected to be drunk interrupted the singing of the national anthem at the closure of the function when they shouted and instead sang their songs as everyone kept silent.

A crowd surrounded Mbabazi as he left the hall, each wanting to greet him as others blocked him at several points.

 

Journalists intercepted him seeking for comments on whether he would stand in the next presidential elections.

Mbabazi refused to comment about his position in the coming elections. He later posed for a photograph with the students' leaders outside the faculty building.
 

The Citizens Coalition for Electoral Democracy in Uganda (CCEDU) used the function to launch their campaign at the University.

 

Charles Mwangutsya, one of the CCEDU officials handed over T-shirts and wristbands to Mbabazi and re-emphasized the premier's message to students to participate in the coming elections.

 

Some students shouted at some two of their colleagues who were putting on President Yoweri Museveni T-shirts saying they were misled.

Ian Musimenta and Joshua Kiregga said they had the freedom to express their interests anywhere.

 

"I'm NRM and Museveni is my candidate, but this is the reason why Museveni went to the bush to bring us freedom so that even those who support a different candidate can openly come out and say so. It shows that he has achieved what he fought for," Musimenta said.

 

Kiregga said, "I decided to dress in Museveni T-shirt because I support him, Museveni is our candidate, you cannot fight the government in power. I'm proud to be NRM," he said.