President Yoweri Museveni has today, Friday July 31 picked nomination forms for the National Resistance Movement party Chairperson and presidential candidate for the forthcoming 2016 national elections.
He becomes the first and last NRM member to collect nomination forms for the party’s topmost position and presidential flag bearer candidate, meaning he is unopposed. This has eased Evelyn Anite’s work, since she now does not have to explain a lot about her Kyankwanzi resolution on Museveni’s ‘sole candidature’.
Anyway, at around 2.00pm the NRM Electoral Commission Chairperson Dr Tanga Odoi welcomed President Yoweri Museveni and the First Lady Janet Kataha Museveni at the NRM party headquarters on Plot 10 Kyandondo Road.
Clad in a yellow shirt and yellow hat and waving at the crowds Museveni arrived at the NRM offices amid cheers and ululations from hundreds of supporters who had gathered at the venue to welcome him.
Among others who accompanied the President to No. 10 were the Vice President Edward Kiwanuka Sekandi, Speaker of Parliament Rebecca Alitwala Kadaga and the Deputy Speaker of Parliament Jacob Oulanyah.
The NRM party office premises were painted yellow as various groups of people were carrying President Museveni’s portraits in demonstration of support for their man. The whole place was actually a beehive of activity as supporters clad in yellow, with many selling items like key holders, caps and other paraphernalia that bore the president’s portrait.
Before his arrival, several supporters danced to the local Bagisu dance Kadodi as they waited for the President to arrive and attempted to escort him as he left although his convoy sped off after a short distance.
Earlier in the day, government Chief Whip in Parliament, Ruth Nankabirwa assured the audience that Mr Museveni doesn’t need Uganda but Ugandans are the ones who need him.
VP Sekandi told the media that Museveni is the best team player and said Mbabazi is free to return home since differences can be ironed out.
While addressing the crowd, the President said the population of Uganda in general has improved since 1986 when the NRM came into power. He also said that Uganda is undergoing infrastructural growth on a massive scale. “We are now building a standard gauge railway that will enable train to move from Kampala to Nairobi in 24 hours,” he stressed.
The President praised the two ‘super ladies’, Kampala Capital City Authority (KCCA) Executive Director Jennifer Musisi and Uganda National Roads Authority (UNRA)’s Allen Kagina, for the ‘good job’ they are doing in transforming Uganda.
The President also promised that the issue of corruption would be solved by the NRM. “We cleaned the army, UWA and will do so to the civilians,” he said.
He explained that he delayed to pick forms to lead NRM for another term because the culture of the party is not ‘I want’, especially for a senior position like that of the party chairperson.
Museveni’s visit to N0.10 today to pick the nomination forms comes in the wake of former Prime Minister John Patrick Amama Mbabazi announcing earlier in the day that he would contest for the presidency as an Independent.
Mbabazi, who had earlier expressed interest in the two positions, cited illegalities in the regulations issued by the MRM’s electoral body, especially the charging of fees for those who aspire for positions in the party.
Meanwhile, another ‘presidential contender’ Capt (rtd) Daudi Ruhinda Maguru, who had claimed he would pick nomination forms on Tuesday this week, did not turn up at all. He gave no reason for withdrawal, but some suspect he lacked the Shs10 million that was to be paid by anyone aspiring for the topmost positions in the party and country.
And, as the day comes to a close, Museveni remains NRM Chairman and is also the party’s flag bearer for presidency, a much sought-after relief for Evelyn Anite Kajik, the Minister of State for Gender in charge of Youth and Children Affairs.
