A reconciliation meeting organized by the ruling National Resistance Movement (NRM) in Kabale District ended in disarray after members traded accusations of supporting independent candidates.
The meeting, held on Friday evening at Kabale National Teachers College, was chaired by the NRM Vice Chairperson for Western Region, Jonard Asiimwe Akiiki. It was intended to unite party members ahead of the forthcoming general elections but instead exposed deep divisions within the local party structures.
Pamela Byensi, one of the NRM supporters, accused the district party leadership and some flag bearers of secretly or openly supporting independents. She demanded the resignation of the current district leadership and called for fresh elections to restore unity within the party.
Kabale District Woman MP flag bearer, Enid Origunisiriza, lamented that some NRM flag bearers were being undermined by colleagues who were openly backing independent candidates. She decried what she called disloyalty and indiscipline within the party ranks.
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Dr. Protazio Begumisa, the NRM flag bearer for Ndorwa East County, accused the acting District NRM Chairperson, Bridget Asinga Tumwesigye, of supporting the incumbent legislator, Hon. Wilfred Niwagaba, who is running as an independent. Asinga did not respond to the allegations.
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In a similar tone, Hon. Andrew Aja Baryayanga, the NRM flag bearer for Kabale Municipality accused Narith Tumwesigye, the NRM Chairperson for Southern Division, of supporting Dr. Nicholas Kamara of the People’s Front for Freedom (PFF). Narith was not given a chance to defend himself.
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Eliab Naturinda Mporera, the NRM flag bearer for Ndorwa West County, said his efforts to reconcile with his rival, Hon. David Bahati, had been unsuccessful. He noted that while he had met some factions that opposed him during the primaries, he was yet to engage the sub-county party chairpersons.
In his closing remarks, Asiimwe urged members not to harass independents, saying they remain part of the NRM family. He called on the party faithful to instead focus their energy on mobilizing support for President Yoweri Museveni in the upcoming elections.
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Notably, the meeting was snubbed by key figures contesting as independents, including Hon. David Bahati, the Minister of State for Trade, Hon. Catherine Atwakire Ndamira, the Kabale District Woman MP and Nelson Nshangabasheija, the Kabale District LCV Chairperson.
