Lumumba warns NRM district registrars over bribery

By Francis Emorut                                                    

The ruling NRM secretary general, Kasule Lumumba, has warned the party district registrars against being comprised by any aspirant during the party flag bearers' primary elections.

"You should not be compromised at any point by accepting bribes to influence results during the party's flag bearers' election," Lumumba told the registrars who converged at Makerere University.

Lumumba emphasized that the exercise should be free and fair and free from manipulation.

This comes after the NRM electoral commission chairman Dr. Tanga Odoi released the party election roadmap.

The secretary general tasked the over 300 registrars to study the party's guidelines and regulations to avoid mistakes that might mar the election exercise.

A cross-section of  NRM district registrars during training on party guidelines at Makerere University. Photo/ Francis Emorut

Lumumba was backed by minister of Local Government Adolf Mwesige, who is also NRM legal advisor.

Mwesige said any party registrar caught accepting bribes would be arrested.

"Any person who will accept bribes and fail to control rigging would be arrested," Mwesige stated.

The minister urged the party district registrars not to tolerate any stuffing of ballot papers and manipulation, forgery and impersonation.

He said election violence must be contained and the exercise should be transparent.

"The election must be free and fair, transparent and not manipulated," he said.

In the 2010 NRM primaries the election exercise was marred by irregularities which forced some aspirants to contest as independents.

Mwesige noted that the party will not register independent candidates.

He also advised the audience to work closely with the Police to avert any chaos.

The NRM stalwarts made the remarks during the briefing of the Party district registrars, district administrative secretaries and their deputies from the 112 districts on the Party election roadmap that was released recently.

Mwesige informed the participants that they are to conduct two types of elections which are for the leagues and party flag bearers.

The leagues will comprise the workers, veterans, women, youth and PWDs.

According to the Party's spokesman Ofwono Opondo, the district registrars, deputy secretaries and their deputies were called for training to acquaint themselves with the Party's guidelines and regulations so as to manage elections well.

Jane Alisemera, the NRM deputy electoral commission chairperson, implored the district registrars to do a good job saying the Party already prides of 10 million registered supporters which excludes students and teachers who were not registered during the registration exercise.

According to Alisemera, the opposition is only left with 4 million voters as her party number is likely to increase to 11 million supporters out of 15 million registered voters.