The Chairperson has long been castigated by National Unity Platform- NUP party members for appointing Muhumuza, an NRM party member, as his vice-chairperson.
Ambassador James Kinobe confirmed the move during a party restructuring meeting at Ntawo playground in Mukono Central Division over the weekend. He alleged that an unnamed politician, who plans to contest for the party’s parliamentary ticket, facilitated the recruitment of opposition members to increase their chances in the primaries.
“They end up recruiting our youth into unlawful acts, acts of violence, aggregate confrontations, insecurity, destroying property and so on. We need to encourage our youth to resist, to avoid being used as foot soldiers in these nefarious, wrong activities. It is our duty to counsel them, to tell them they are better than what people think.” Justice Byabakama noted.
Mark Muganzi Mayanja the Mukono Returning Officer notes that deliveries had started but since they operate in open space, it would not make any sense to deliver them under heavy rains.
Unlike the opposition candidates who are campaigning jointly, each NRM candidate is campaigning separately after a series of bickering and wrangles, some of which can be traced to the party primaries held earlier.
Kalembe who was supposed to begin her campaigns in the districts of Jinja, Mayuge, Luuka, Buyende and Kamuli made a surprise appearance at the campaign gathering organised by the NUP in Mukono. The gathering brought together candidates vying for the various political positions, among them, Rev Peter Bakaluba Mukasa, Hanifer Nabukeera, and Betty Nambooze.
Nabibuga is charged with circulating a photo of Hajji Haruna Ssemakula, the NRM candidate for the Mukono LC 5 chairperson’s seat with derogatory statements describing him as a land grabber and persecutor during Wembule operations executed by the then Colonel Elly Kayanja.
According to Kibuule, he is dedicated to serving the party and supporting the official candidates. He says the party is currently undertaking the reconciliation process and asks members to be mindful about fellows who are against such peaceful movements.
Musoke has noted that all indicators by yesterday showed that he was leading the race but has been surprised reaching at party offices where Dr Tanga Odoi instead declared his opponent Diana Hope Nyago as the winner.
Two check points have been established at the two main entries of roads coming from Mukono town and Kampala. Deployments have also been made outside and inside the main gate of the electoral commission.
Justice Batema issued the orders after ruling in favour of an application filed by Jackline Birungi Kobusingye, one of the candidates in the primaries challenging the declaration of her rival Agatha Nalubwama as the winner of the polls. Kobusingye petitioned court accusing Nalubwama and the NRM party officials of mishandling the vote tallying and general voting process.
“I am reluctant to refer this matter back to the NRM Elections Disputes Tribunal. Where the internal disputes resolution mechanism is biased and has abused its own procedure. Justice for the applicant is not guaranteed. In conclusion, this court allows the application for judicial review and grants the order quashing the decisions of NRM. NRM respondent must produce all the original DR forms and the tallying must be repeated in a transparent manner,” Batema ruled.
Owuma says that none of the petitions has been reviewed since the elections ended. Fred Watuwa the District Registrar has been involved in a misunderstanding with Moses Karangwa the district party chairperson almost putting party activities to a standstill
Ahead of the official closure of nominations on October 1, scores of aspirants for local council positions flocked the centre today, in a rush to beat the deadline. Many of them were accompanied by hundreds of supporters, crowding the nomination centre, in contravention of the COVID-19 guidelines issued by both the Electoral Commission and the Ministry of Health.
However, as voters lined up at the back of their favourite candidates, Patience Lule and Nasif Musoke, Nambooze arrived at the election venue and ordered non-party members to leave the line. The directive triggered a bitter argument between the voters and Nambooze until she accepted all people who were gathered at the station to vote.
The vetting process which started last week, on Tuesday had to close on Sunday with the declaration of winners. However, participants in the municipality have since been waiting for results until today when they were told that the process was marred by irregularities which affected the outcome.
Previously, the district was conducting nominations at the district Electoral Commission offices. However, another office has now been established at Nakifuma sub-county headquarters. The main centre is now handling candidates from Mukono South, North, Aspirants for the District leadership position, and the municipality whereas the new centre is handling candidates from Nakifuma County.
Mukono Municipality Member of Parliament Betty Nambooze offered a six roomed house at Kavule ward to serve as the party offices while Nambooze’s daughter-in-law Lydia Namayengo Njuba also established another office near the municipal taxi park.
Several candidates who lost primaries in the National Resistance Movement- NRM and those who fell out with the Democratic party had crossed with the tide, to compete for positions under NUP, a new political outfit led by Kyadondo East MP Robert Kyagulanyi Ssentamu.
Kimbowa Ivan · author