NRM leaders appeal to secretariat to reconcile supporters in Bukomansimbi

ELECTIONS  | NRM  | BUKOMANSIMBI


The National Resistance Movement (NRM) supporters in Bukomansimbi district have appealed to the party secretariat to intervene and resolve the ongoing disputes between flag bearers, which they fear might cost the party in the forthcoming election.

Many NRM supporters and campaigners, according to Florence Nakiwala Kiyingi, the state minister for youth and children affairs, were still unhappy with the secretariat's failure to resolve the matter of the right flag bearers in Bukomansimbi North. She said the secretarit should come out again in the open and communicate to the voters who are the rightful flag bearers, and go ahead to reconcile the supporters before it is too late.  

The minister, who is the NRM flag bearer for the district woman Member of Parliament, was Friday speaking at a function where the state minister for tourism, Godfrey Kiwanda Ssuubi, who is also the NRM national vice chairman for the central region unveiled President Yoweri Museveni as the party presidential flag bearer.

 Kiwanda, under the slogan, ‘Buganda for Museveni', also unveiled party flag bearers at various levels in the district. In Bukomansimbi North he declared Ruth Katushabe , the incumbent MP,  Bashir Ssemakula for Bukomansimbi South and Nakiwala Kiyingi for the district woman Member of Parliament.





Nakiwala is facing the incumbent, Veronica Nanyondo (National Unity Platform), Halima Nakawungu (Independent) and Pamela Namuyanja.

Speaking at the function for Bukomansimbi South, Nakiwala said many NRM voters and campaigners right up to the village level were still divided on who is the rightful flag bearer in Bukomansimbi South and would want the secretariat to openly pronounce its position again on the matter.  

This followed a confusion in Bukomansimbi North party primaries, where Hajji Idd Lubyayi Kisiki was on September 4, 2020 declared winner by the district registrar, Pere Ssemanda with 8, 130 votes beating the incumbent Katushabe who obtained 6,167.

 But Katushabe petitioned the party Electoral Commission on grounds that she was cheated when the registrar omitted results from some villages. The EC tribunal later overturned the results, declared her winner and cleared her for nomination.

Lubyayi was forced to petition the high court in Masaka but the case was dismissed and asked the two parties to go back to the party secretariat to resolve the matter.

The secretariat later sent one of the party officials, Kennedy Ssebalu to reconcile the two camps but his efforts did not yield fruits after Lubyayi went ahead and was nominated on an Independent ticket. The two NRM rivals will tussle it out with Muhammad Kateregga of Justice Forum.

Peter Ssenkungu, the NRM coordinator for Greater Masaka however blamed the NRM electoral commission, which he said erred when they overturned the results without wide consultation.

"The blame should go to the NRM electoral commission, you cannot allow people to participate in an election, a winner is declared and the next day you overturn it," he said. He however appealed to the supporters to remain united and vote for candidate Museveni with a target of 80 percent.

Kiwanda asked NRM leaders to always avoid taking sides during party primaries, saying the mistake had been committed in several districts, which he said had caused confusion and divided the supporters.

"We should remain united to defeat our common enemy," he said. He applauded the NRM for having fished out Nakiwala from the green color (DP) saying it was a big mileage to the party and pledged to introduce Ssemakula before the party chairman (Museveni) if he too was voted as MP.

Ssemakula will tussle with Morris Peter Kagimu Kiwanuka (Independent), Democratic Party's Deo Kiyingi (husband to Nakiwala Kiyingi), Mubiru Arthur (Independent) and Solo Kayemba (NUP) in Bukomansimbi South.   The function was ignited by the presence of band singer, Ronald Mayinja who excited the supporters with his new campaign song, 'Mzeei akalulu kako'.