Members of the National Resistance Movement who attended burial of Aidah Ruth Nabirye, mother to former Namisindwa RDC, Robert Mutemo have welcomed the recent resolution by the ruling party Central Executive Committee in which internal elections will be by lining-up. The burial took place at Nawankompe village in Nawampiti sub county, Luuka District.
The mourners responded with cheers when Hon Milton Muwuma who represented the NRM Secretary General (SG), Rt Hon Justine Kasule Lumumba assured them that with the new system the elections will be free and fair and cost effective.
“You thank maama (Lumumba) and mzee (president Museveni) for seeing ahead and being visionary,” one elders female mourner shouted from the back of the crowd.
Muwuma had told them about the benefits of the new voting mode.
“Some people have in the past been supporting more than one candidate leaving all candidates suspecting that their victory has been stolen. We have also been having cases of ballot stuffing but with lining-up, one will not stuff the voters,” he assured the NRM members.
“Therefore, my boss – the SG has asked me to tell you that let us support and embrace the new voting mode in order to reduce on the amount of petitions and number of our members who contest as independents after suspecting that the voting by secret ballot was not free and fair,” he empharsised as mourners cheered on.
During their retreat at Chobe Safari Lodge in Nwoya district, CEC backed President Yoweri Museveni proposal to line behind candidates during party internal elections.
The strategy has since received criticism with some individuals labelling it traditional and analogue while others say its an attack on voters’ privacy among other things.
However, Muwuma, explains that the party top leadership endorsed the proposal following last year’s LCI and Women Council Elections where the mode of lining-up was applied and that it had very many positive aspects including cost reduction, less disputes, and transparency.
He says the mode not only minimises election petitions but also simplifies their management as voters posses vivid recollection of events.
Muwuma said that the Secretary General is very opportunistic that the mode will bring back sanity in the party elections which have for years been disputed by some party members.
“The mode is seen by NRM as a way of minimizing the number of independents due to its transparency, reduce bribery and commercialisation of elections,” he said.
Appearing NBS FM 89.4’s Sunday Panel last week Lumumba also cited minimizing infiltration by non-party members who she says carry sinister motives and that it will also encourage participation as other factors.
On economic implications, she says the mode reduces costs of election management as no ballot papers, ballot boxes, indelible ink among others are required.
Lumumba however, noted that the Party Secretariat will this April release a detailed program for the District Conferences to further consider the proposal.