Babu steps aside for Kigongo after Museveni mediation

President Yoweri Museveni who is also the NRM national chairman has appealed to NRM leaders not to squander the capital of solidarity that they have built because the party needs everybody.

"Don't start with the who, start with the what, then you will get the who. For me, I need all of you. Everybody is very important, so concentrate on the what," he said.

The President was speaking shortly after Capt. Francis Babu voluntarily agreed to step down for Alhaji Moses Kigongo for the post of NRM's national 1st vice-chairperson.

Babu said that after a dialogue with Museveni, they have agreed mutually for the benefit and good of the NRM party that they make the status quo hold so that they can balance the strength together.

"After talking for a long time for the good of our party, we have agreed. I will voluntarily step down and let the other contestant continue. My decision has been done in very good faith and I accept it," Babu said.

This comes after a long discussion that Museveni had with Babu on Friday afternoon at State House in Entebbe after CEC tasked the chairman to dialogue with him during its seating on Wednesday.

Museveni revealed that Babu is one of their veterans because he has been supporting their struggle for a long time since the time he was working as a pilot for Nigerian Airways but based in Nairobi.

"He helped us a lot while in Nairobi. He had also been a member of the UPM," Museveni said.

The President said that CEC had put forward his name to compete with Kigongo and two others, but also recommended that Kigongo continue holding the position.