NRM is far ahead of the opposition, says Museveni

After a long day of NRM delegates engaging in the exercise of electing the party's national leaders on the Central Executive Committee on Thursday, President Yoweri Museveni concluded it with a passionate speech about his estimation of the strength of the party and where more focus needs to be put.

Making reference to the outcome of the recent special interest elections for people with disabilities, the elderly, and the youth, President Museveni scoffed at those who think they can dislodge the NRM government.

Addressing NRM delegates virtually who were in a chest-thumping mode at State House in Entebbe at around 8:00 pm, the President noted that out of 57,000 positions for elderly persons, NRM won 50,000, which represents 87%, the independents whom he called NRM supporters got 10% and the opposition political parties all put together shared only 3%.

For the elections of leaders of people with disability, out of 49,000 positions competed for, the President said NRM won 41,000 which represents 85%, independents got 13%, and the opposition parties got only 2%.

Regarding youth elections, the President said out of 59,000 positions competed for, NRM had won 47,000 positions (79%), independents got 15%, and the opposition parties got 6%.

The president argued that NRM's overwhelming victory in the youth elections points to NRM being very popular among young Ugandans.

With such results of an overwhelming victory by the NRM, Museveni said he laughs at the opposition and their foreign agents who think they can shake his government.

Noting that some foreigners working with what he called reckless Ugandans have been trying to mislead the youth but they are building castles in the air.

"The foreigners are used to a weak Africa. We can defeat all of them. They have been trying to manipulate the urban youth because some of our NRM people had abandoned them," Museveni explained.

Emphasising the need for the NRM leaders to pay more attention to the youth and the peasants, Museveni cited the figure of 7.9 million youth who were registered for the recent youth elections as an indication that the youth are a very big force.

Informing the NRM delegates that NRM has built on the four core principles of patriotism, social-economic transformation, pan-Africanism, and democracy, Museveni said the ruling party the right mission makes it different from DP, UPC, and Kabaka Yekka (YK) which he said had wrong missions which caused them to fail.

The President, who made a very passionate appeal to the NRM leaders to empower the poor, revealed that government would earmark more funds towards programmes for fighting poverty like the newly introduced Emyioga programme which focuses on availing income-generating funds to groups of Ugandans who do the same economic activities.

Wondering why only sh260b had been allocated for Emyioga, the President suggested the need for funds the government has been spending on travels abroad to be added to the money for Emyioga.

The President lashed out at journalists and social media users for reporting unverified reports which turn out to be fake.

Museveni warned that his government would undertake necessary measures to ensure journalists who flout professional standards would have their licenses cancelled.

The President complained that many journalists had reported youth elections with so much bias that they created an impression that the opposition had won so many positions which was not the case.

Expressing disappointment that some people had peddled lies on the social media that the Kabaka of Buganda had been poisoned and that he had died, the president said the government would act tough on such people.

"How can you reach that extent of saying someone has died when you have no information to that regard. Why should you spread fake information to frighten people? If anything goes wrong with the Kabaka, the people to announce like the Katikkiro are there," the President explained.

Boasting about a successful virtual delegates' conference that NRM had conducted, the President argued that it would be possible for Uganda to have scientific elections so as to avoid political rallies and gatherings of people which could spread coronavirus.

Museveni contended that with 1,750 coronavirus cases, 1,194 recoveries, 19 deaths, and 323 active cases for Uganda, it was necessary for Ugandans especially those in Kampala to seriously follow the standard operating procedures (SOPs).

The President raised concern that there is a lot of laxity among Ugandans with even some leaders propagating lies that coronavirus is not in Uganda.

As part of new interventions for strengthening the ruling party with more resources, Museveni said NRM would start investments in real estate and other businesses.

The NRM secretary general Kasule Lumumba expressed gratitude that President Museveni had led NRM into pioneering virtual political events.

"At first some of us were wondering how it would be possible for us to have scientific elections. But we have shown to the rest that scientific elections are possible," Lumumba reasoned.

The Prime Minister Ruhakana Rugunda also said he was glad that NRM had pioneered electronic political meetings which not only minimise chances of spreading diseases but also minimise costs and risks arising out of traveling long distances.

Rugunda noted that the recent elections for the elderly, people with disabilities, and the youth had confirmed to all and sundry that NRM is a mass political party with so much support among Ugandans.

NRM director for mobilisation Mathias Kasamba said opinion polls indicate that the NRM party is in a comfortable lead to win the forthcoming general elections.

In an opinion poll by Research World International which was released about three weeks ago but conducted in early March, Museveni's support was put at 47% followed by Robert Kyagulanyi at 22% and Dr. Kizza Besigye was in the third position at 17%.

In another opinion poll conducted by New Vision which was released two weeks ago, Museveni was leading with 50.06%, followed by Robert Kyagulanyi with 21.16%, and Dr. Kizza Besigye in the third position with 6.28%.

Meanwhile, the NRM Electoral Commission chairman Dr Tanga Odoi announced to NRM members that on September 4, 2020, they will be voting for parliamentary flag bearers.