Led by Maxwell Kuwembula, the Kamuli District LC V chairperson, the councilors argue that Wabwire's public declaration of support for NUP is contradictory to his role as the leader of NRM councilors. They believe that his actions have weakened the party's position throughout the district, with grassroots supporters blaming the councilors for failing to take disciplinary action against him.
National Resistance Movement (NRM) councilors in Kamuli district
local government have sacked their caucus chairperson, Chris Wabwire over his newfound
allegiance to the opposition National Unity Platform (NUP)-party. Wabwire is
the Mbulamuti sub-county male councilor.
Led by Maxwell Kuwembula, the Kamuli District LC V chairperson, the
councilors argue that Wabwire's public declaration of support for NUP is
contradictory to his role as the leader of NRM councilors. They believe that
his actions have weakened the party's position throughout the district, with
grassroots supporters blaming the councilors for failing to take disciplinary
action against him.
Kuwembula explains that Wabwire is also accused of supporting
motions forwarded by the opposition, disregarding the NRM party that sponsored
his candidacy, which has caused confusion within the district council. He
explains that this has left NRM councilors uncertain about, which agenda to
pursue when their caucus leader supports resolutions proposed by the minority
opposition members.
The caucus members have replaced Wabwire with his deputy, Erina
Ndibogeza. Ndibogeza has assured her colleagues that she will serve as a
unifying force in the council, prioritizing the NRM agenda and government
programs such as the ongoing rollout of the Parish Development Model (PDM). She acknowledges that the disagreements between the majority of
NRM councilors and their former caucus leader have hindered council
operations.
Many councilors had formed camps aligned either with the status quo
or against it. However, with her election as their leader, she aims to
streamline their work. Wabwire, on the other hand, expresses his belief that the
position did not provide him with a significant opportunity to improve service
delivery to the electorate. Consequently, he feels that focusing his allegiance
on the NRM was inconsequential.
"I had hoped that NRM would offer us a
platform to serve the people better, however, nothing has changed from the bad
roads, insufficient medicines in government health facilities, inadequate
classrooms, etc., and remaining in a non-transformational leadership umbrella
was neither beneficial to me, nor to my electorates," he said.
According to Wabwire, most leaders in Kamuli are prone to
lamenting about the inadequate state of service delivery without offering
viable solutions for the welfare of the population.
"The
newly acquired title of NRM caucus chairperson in council was often accorded to
me during all functions ranging from funerals, weddings, among others, and this
had prompted the wider public to assume that, I was the ray of hope towards the
fulfillment of their service delivery needs. However, I was powerless to lobby
anything from the government I was serving and there was no need for me to
continue clinging myself to a position, which was not edifying my community in any way,” he said.
