NRM branded rebel MPs
have asked the party’s top organ to withdraw the resolution it made, declaring
president Yoweri Museveni as the
party’s candidate for the 2021 General election.
The party’s Central
Executive Committee made the resolution early this week while ending a retreat
at Chobe safari lodge.
Lwemiyaga County MP Theodore Sekikubo says the resolution
is selfish and misguided and also in violation of article 71 of the
constitution that mandates political parties to organize internal elections
based on democratic principles.
Sekikubo has been speaking alongside five other NRM MPs who convened a
press conference today to condemn the resolution including Monica Amoding, Mbwatekamwa Gaffa, Sam
Lyomoki, John Baptist Nambeshe and
Patrick Nsamba.
He said they condemn
the president for manipulating the CEC and conniving with them to come up with
the resolution.
He adds that the
current CEC does not have the authority to even endorse party candidates since
it’s tenure will have expired by the time party primaries come around in 2020.
The Manjiya County MP John Baptist Nambeshe said the resolution was a demonstration of greed and a
serious degeneration by CEC which is supposed to champion democracy but have
done the complete opposite.
The Kasanda North MP
Patrick Nsamba has accused the president of raping the party constitution in
the same manner he raped the national construction during the age limit
removal.
He also condemned the
president for meeting with CEC to consolidate power for the NRM while
curtailing the activities of other political parties in the country like DP
whose assembly in Jinja was blocked by the police.
Monica Amoding sent
out an appeal to the Ugandans that the power to choose the destiny of the
country is in their hands through the ballot.
She also appealed to
the NRM members to stop remaining silent when the undemocratic actions are
going on within the party. She added that they are considering taking the
president to court and seeking the interpretation of court on this matter.
Sam Lyomoki said the
argument fronted by the president for removal of the age limit was to make the
situation free for all people to contest but the new CEC resolution which
blocks other contestants run counter to this argument, he says this amounts to
taking Ugandans for fools.
Mbwatekamwa warned
that the country is yet to see worse violation of democracy since the party in
power is the one that is violating it first starting from their party.
END