Summary:
- Akifeza won the district seat last month on an independent ticket in a highly contested by-election to replace the late Sarah Mateke Nyirabashitsi, who passed away in September this year.
KAMPALA: The ruling National Resistance Movement (NRM) party on Tuesday signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with Kisoro Woman Member of Parliament, Hon. Grace Ngabirano Akifeza.
Akifeza won the district seat last month on an independent ticket in a highly contested by-election to replace the late Sarah Mateke Nyirabashitsi, who passed away in September this year.
Akifeza’s delegation, led by Government Chief Whip Hon. Hamson Obua and a section of Kisoro legislators, was welcomed at the NRM headquarters by the Deputy Secretary General, Rt. Hon. Rose Namayanja Nsereko.
Shortly after the signing, Namayanja congratulated Akifeza on her victory and applauded her decision to work with the NRM.
“I thank you for accepting to associate with the party. Signing this MoU entitles you to all the privileges and opportunities enjoyed by NRM party members, and you can now actively participate in all party activities,” Namayanja said.
She clarified that the agreement with Ngabirano follows a precedent set by the party, where independent Members of Parliament who choose to work with the NRM sign similar MoUs to support the party’s manifesto.
“Although we have signed an MoU with Hon. Ngabirano, Rose Kabagyeni remains the NRM party flag bearer until the next party primaries, where members will select a new flag bearer,” Namayanja added. She also revealed that the NRM has signed MoUs with several independent LC5 chairpersons across the country.
Namayanja further noted that the party is in the final stages of digitizing its register, a process currently underway at designated stations nationwide.
Government Chief Whip Hon. Hamson Obua commended Ngabirano for her decision, stating that she exercised her constitutional right after consulting with the people of Kisoro.
“As Chairperson of the NRM Parliamentary Caucus, I present to you an independent candidate, Hon. Ngabirano, who has chosen to associate with the NRM. The law allows her to associate with the party without formally belonging to it, but she will enjoy all the benefits given to NRM members,” Obua explained.
Hon. Grace Ngabirano Akifeza expressed gratitude to her constituents for trusting her to serve them in Parliament. She revealed that she had long desired to sign the MoU with the NRM following her victory.
“I have always longed to come here. I felt like a lost child, but now I am found. This has always been my home, and I am overwhelmed to be back,” Ngabirano said.
She thanked the NRM for welcoming her and pledged to work closely with the party to deliver on her mandate.
“I want to thank the NRM party for accepting me back home and allowing me to associate with you,” she added.
