KAMPALA – The ruling Natonal Resistance Movement has distanced itself from the criminality connected to the beleaguered Rubaga party chairman Hajji Abdallah Kitatta who faces murder charges.
Secretary-General Justine Kasule Lumumba said in a statement on Wednesday evening that Mr Kitatta’s arrest in connection to criminality had nothing to do with the activities of the ruling party.
“I have also further established that his arrest by security agencies has no connection with the party operations. As NRM, we don’t condone criminality and we cherish the rule of law,” she said.
“The incident is, however, an eye-opener for us at the secretariat to start keeping a keen eye on all those in the party leadership positions,” Mrs Lumumba said.
Kitatta was on Saturday arrested by the Chieftaincy of Military Intelligence, and he together with his cohorts in the controversial Bodaboda 2010, they face murder charges in connection to the death of city accountant, Francis Ekalungar. Ekalungar was weeks ago burnt to ashes by assailants and the military intelligence has pinned the murder on Kitatta and group.
Kitatta’ s group, who operated militia activities in the city have the support of the Inspector General of Police Gen. Kale Kayihura, who recently defended their activities before parliament.
But a group of NRM youth in Rubaga division earlier in the week petitioned the NRM secretariat, asking Mrs Lumumba and President Museveni, the NRM party chairman, to purge Kitatta from the party activities after the current high profile scandal and allegations that he participated in the murder of a wealthy Eritrean businessman last year.
Mr Kitatta and 30 others are in military detention, and the army said this week, that they would be charged in connection to several criminal activities.
NRM SG KASULE LUMUMBA’S FULL STATEMENT
I have learned of the arrest of Hajji Abdallah Kitatta our District Chairperson in Rubaga.
I have also further established that his arrest by security agencies has no connections with the party operations.
As NRM, we don’t condone criminality and we cherish the rule of law.
The incident is, however, an eye-opener for us at the Secretariat to start keeping a keen eye on all those in the party leadership positions.
The basis of the NRM core principles of Nationalism, Pan-Africanism, Social-Economic Transformation and Democracy is the human being which we should all treasure.
