Engola, Mukula take NRM vice-chairperson fight to West Nile

ARUA - In a bid to canvas for votes in the National Resistance Movement NRM party structures, Sam Engola and Captain Mike Mukula rushed to West Nile to meet delegates.

Addressing the delegates in Arua City on Saturday, Engola who is vying for the position of NRM vice-chairperson Northern region apologised to the delegates for the wrongs he may have committed during his term of office. Engola is the incumbent.

However, some of the delegates said they will not vote for Engola for abandoning the people of West Nile and not tabling their issues before the party central executive committee.

Boniface Alioni, the publicity secretary for NRM Arua district and LC5 vice-chairperson Arua said, they have suffered under the leadership of Engola who does not present issues and demands from the West Nile people.

Engola said, "If I have made any mistakes, correct me. Everybody is not correct, nobody pays salary in the party but we have sacrificed to do the work".

Engola observed that, when the party conducts elections, some party leaders disappear with money meant for mobilisation and supporting the party members, a reason many members are aggrieved.

"People want to take my small job, my brother Jacob Oulanyah wants to take away my job yet he is the Deputy Speaker of Parliament and Omoro County MP," Engola said.

He will not have time for people and the party activities. I have apologised for the mistakes and we need to iron out the mistakes. Voting is on Thursday for the NRM CEC members.

Mukula who is vying for the position of NRM vice chairperson Eastern region appealed to the delegates to support him to defend and retain his position.

Mukula warned the cadres working in the local government systems as technical officers and political leaders to desist from corruption. He said the youth and women get aggrieved by the NRM government because some people in the local government frustrate government programs through corruption.

Mukula who told the delegates he does not want to be a Member of Parliament or a Minister promised to work for the party and the government to ensure service delivery reaches the intended Ugandan.

"I am a good businessman; I want to serve Uganda as a patriotic citizen. Uganda is now exporting peace in Somalia after settling peace at home" Mukula said.

NRM Problems

According to Mukula, the biggest problem NRM party faces is not opposition parties but inside the party system. He said a lot of infighting in the party affects social-economic development.

"FDC does not have the capacity anymore, a mobiliser, I have liberated Teso region from FDC. Alliance for National Transformation ANT has no structures at village levels" Mukula said.

Mukula claims the people in the party use party money to climb to the highest level and later fail to connect with the electorate causing hatred for the party from the community.

He appealed to Resident District Commissioners (RDC) to strengthen mobilisation for the party. Mukula also advised local government leaders to give contracts to the local contractors, the youth and women to promote social-economic transformation.

"Corruption in the local government system frustrates government efforts to empower women and youth. Museveni sends money for youth, but the Chief Administrative Officers (CAOs) do not provide information and help the youth access the money," Mukula said.

He said procurement officers in local governments are richer than the leaders due to corruption.

"Corruption by the technical officers must stop frustrating government programs. If you put money ahead of the party, this government will collapse, Mukula warned.

He challenged the party delegates and government officials to promote Pan Africanism and ensure African solutions to African problems are embraced.