Opposition presidential aspirants John Patrick Amama Mbabazi and Dr Warren Kizza Besigye have met in the United Kingdom to further their chances of uniting to oust the ruling National Resistance Movement (NRM) party and its leader Yoweri Museveni.

According to a an October 26 release signed by the two aspirants, the London meet held under the auspices of the Kofi Annan Foundation, is a continuation of the discussions previously held in Nairobi, prompted by former Kenyan Prime Minister Raila Amollo Odinga.

‘Under the auspices of the Kofi Anna Foundation, we have held a two-day meeting in London, UK to continue the discussions previously held in Nairobi, Kenya. We have made substantial progress in preparation for the 2016 general elections in Uganda. We will subsequently report to our respective political structyures so asd to complete the arrangements guaranteeing our success in the presidential elections,’ the release issued in Kampala under The Democratic Alliance (TDA) states.

Both Mbabazi and Dr Besigye contested for the flag bearer position of the TDA, a loose political pressure group. However, the two were later to go separate ways, with Dr Besigye, the flag bearer of the opposition Forum for Democratic Change (FDC) announcing he would stand under his party’s banner.

Similarly, Mbabazi also indicated he would run for presidency as an Independent, something observers say prompted the intervention of Kenayan opposition ideologue Raila Odinga to intercede and try to forge a way for both men to work together.

It should be noted that Odinga is no stranger to opposition politics and together with colleagues he once championed a cause for regime change in Kenya, leading to the 2002 ouster of then long-serving Kenyan President Daniel Toroitich Arap Moi, who had led his political party, the Kenya African National Union (KANU) for 24 years.

Under the subsequent Rainbow government formed with Mwai Kibaki as leader, Odinga was to become a Minister but later unsuccessfully challenged his boss in the 2007 presidential elections, under the then opposition political party, the Orange Democratic Movement (ODM).

Unrelenting, Mr Odinga was to return for elections again in 2013 under the Coalition for Reform and Democracy (CORD), this time contesting against Uhuru Kenyatta, the current President of Kenya.

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The National Resistance Movement (NRM) has changed the date for its parliamentary and LCV primaries to tomorrow, October 26.

The primaries were slated for today but the NRM Electoral Commission deputy chairperson John Arimpa Kigyagi issued a release on Sunday, indicating the change.

‘The National Resistance Movement, Electoral Commission announces the postponement of the party primary elections which were slated for tomorrow, Monday the 26^th of October, 2015 to Tuesday the 27^th of October, 2015 throughout the country. We regret any inconveniences caused,’ the release states.

The postponement comes in the wake of reports that the party election material had not been delivered to all polling stations, and also that some aspirants had already set in motion tactics to rig the votes in some areas.

However, the NRM Electoral Commission boss Dr Tanga Odoi has warned those planning to engage in any polling malpractices, saying they would be dealt with.

He also named the electoral hotspots among them Lwemiyaga County in Ssembabule, and Kibuku, Lwengo, Bundibugyo and Bukedea districts.

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President Yoweri Museveni has appealed to Ugandan students in Algeria to take their studies seriously bearing in mind that every life has a purpose.

“I can tell you that your country is doing well. The NRM has resurrected the economy and you need to come and contribute to it. Our economy had collapsed and we had to start afresh and today the indicators are there, our tax base is wide and we can fund some of our big fundamental projects’’ he said.

The President who was recently on a four day state visit in Algeria was addressing student leaders of over 200 Ugandan students currently studying in Algeria. Mr. Museveni lauded the Algerian government for offering educational scholarships to Ugandans especially in the much needed science and technology sector and more in the oil and gas sector as the country enters the oil exploration business.

The President met the student leaders led by the President of the Uganda- Algerian student’s association Mr. Godfrey Tukesiga.

Mr. Tukesiga commended the President and the National Resistance Movement government for the good leadership that has earned Uganda excellent friendly countries like Algeria that have helped them attain much needed quality education.

They also commended him and the NRM government for the developments and achievements the country has realized in the education, health, transport and security.

Earlier the President had visited a privately owned commercial farm in Algeria as part of his initiative to promote private sector investment in commercial agriculture.

On arrival at the Chabi Brothers farm, President Yoweri Museveni was dressed up with the “BERNOUS”, an Algerian traditional cloth, by the governor of Blida, Mr. Bouazgui Wali Wilaya.
Despite the heavy downpour, the President who was accompanied by Algeria Minister for Agriculture Feroukhi Algra and the governor of Blida, Mr. Bouazgui Wali Wilaya toured the farms’ mini fruits and vegetables exhibition.

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President Yoweri Museveni has said that as the petroleum, gas and oil resources are finite and not renewable, the money that accrues from that energy sources should not be squandered but rather be invested in durable areas to build the country’s infrastructure needs and further develop capacity of the country.

Speaking at the ceremony of the inauguration of the Board of Directors of the new National Petroleum Authority and the National Oil Authority at State House, Entebbe yesterday, President Museveni cautioned members of the two bodies that it is now their responsibility to take on the wars of developing the country’s economy for the grand-children, the future generation of Uganda.

“In Uganda, we have discovered 40% of oil in the target areas and 6.5 billion barrels will be yielded from the target areas. This is enough to support commercial production. The remaining 60% is where oil is suspected but not confirmed,” he said.

The President said the petroleum industry is linked to by-products like gas, fertilizers and pharmaceuticals, among others and urged them to use the chance of the availability of the petroleum resource in the country to create a strong development capacity for Uganda. He also noted that this was the time to build the human resource that will also be used for many other projects for the benefit of Uganda.

The Minister of Energy and Mineral Development, Hon. Irene Muloni Nafuna thanked President Museveni for the continued guidance and support that he has always extended to the oil and gas sector in the country especially in the process of formulating the legislations and creation of the Petroleum Authority of Uganda and the Uganda National Oil Company.

She also commended the President for the continued wisdom that he has always given regarding the management of the oil and gas sector with a view of ensuring that the sector makes a significant impact in the transformation of Uganda by contributing to early achievements of poverty eradication.

The Minister reported that in order to ensure efficient management of the petroleum resources in the country, the government had enacted the Petroleum Exploration, Development and Production Act 2013 and also the Petroleum Refining, Development, Storage and Transportation Act 2013 that have led to the creation of the Petroleum Authority of Uganda and the Uganda National Oil Company respectively.

The Petroleum Authority of Uganda has seven members headed by Mrs. Jane N. Mulemwa. Other members include Mr. Reuben Kashambuzi, Dr. Immaculate Semanda Nakimera, Mr. Peter Lominit, Mrs. Doreen Kabasindi Wandera, Eng. Patrick Nakoko and Mr. Kiryowa Kiwanuka. The Uganda National Oil Company is headed by Mr. Emmanuel Katongole. Other members include Mr. Francis Nagimesi, Ms. Batebe Irene, Mr. Twinamatsiko Francis, Ms. Grace Tubwita, Mr. Godfery Andama amd Ms. Biwanga Stella Marie.

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Former National Resistance Movement Secretary General John Patrick Amama Mbabazi and his wife Jacqueline will not attend the party’s delegates conference slated for October 30.

According to NRM Deputy secretry General Richard Todwong, Mr Mbabazi and his wife had been invited to attend the conference in their respective capacities as Member of Parliament for Kinkiizi, elected on an NRM party ticket, and NRM Women’s League Chairperson.

“I will not be attending the NRM delegates conference slated for October 30th. Instead I will be focused on preparing for my nomination,” Mbabazi wrote on his wall amamambabazi.com, posted today.

Mr Mbabazi also said his wife is sick, trying to recuperate in the United Kingdom.

“My wife Jacqueline will also not be attending. She is presently unwell and undergoing treatment in the United Kingdom. When I married my wife I made a promise that from that day forth, for better for worse, for richer for poorer, in sickness and in health while we both live, I would give her full support. I am her primary helper and so I have taken some time away from campaign activities in order to give her the support she needs. My family and I expect her to make a full recovery soon,” he added.

In June this year Mbabazi, also a former Prime Minister, announced he would contest for the leadership of the NRM and also the presidency of Uganda. However, he was later to abandon the idea of becoming chairman of the NRM, opting instead to join opposition pressure group, The Democratic Alliance (TDA).

While in TDA, Mbabazi also had to contend with contest by Forum for Democratic Change (FDC) flag bearer Dr Kizza Besigye and former Vice President Prof Gilbert Balibaseeka Bukenya.

Both Besigye and Bukenya have abandoned the TDA, while it is not clear whether Mbabazi will run for presidency under the opposition loose alliance.

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