KAMPALA – Two NRM party-leaning Member of Parliament have hit back at the party’s decision to block them from attending the forthcoming National Delegates Conference.
On Tuesday, January 14, NRM Secretary-General Kasule Lumumba during a press conference at the party secretariat said all party legislators who voted against lifting the presidential age limit have not been invited to the party’s forthcoming delegates’ conference scheduled for next week.
The NRM MPs who resisted the party line on the age limit Bill were Patrick Nsamba, John Baptist Nambeshe, Dr Sam Lyomoki, Monica Amoding, Gaffa Mbwatekamwa, Barnabas Tinkasimire, Theodore Ssekikubo, Sylvia Rwabogo, Silvia Akello, Maurice Henry Kibalya, Johnson Muyanja Ssenyonga, and Dokolo County MP Felix Okot Ogong.
But Tinkasimire scoffed at the party plans, saying that he is not in Parliament because of NRM.
“Should I commit suicide because NRM has blocked me from attending the Delegates Conference? Am I in Parliament because of the Delegates Conference? My powers are in the people of Buyaga County,” he said.
Workers MP Sam Lyomoki described Ms Lumumba’s announcement as baseless and illegal, adding that he is a founding member of the party who cannot be pushed away like that.
The party will convene the 2nd Meeting of the 3rd Mainstream National Conference on 25th January 2020 at Mandela National Stadium, Namboole. The main purpose of this conference is to effect amendments to the NRM Constitution
“The lists of delegates to attend the conference have been verified and approved by the District NRM Leadership. These are going to be displayed at the NRM offices for any person to view and ensure that only those on the lists attend the Conference,” Ms Lumumba said.
“The public is hereby informed and cautioned that only displayed delegates on the lists at the NRM Offices will be accredited to attend the above meeting and therefore no claims whatsoever will be entertained from any non-participants travelling to Kampala for the Conference. Delegates are also advised to come with their national Identity Cards,” she added.
The National Conference will be proceeded by the Central Executive Committee (CEC) and the National Executive Council (NEC) meetings that will be held on 23rd and 24th respectively. Accreditation for NEC will be on January 23rd while for the National Conference will be on January 24th both at Kololo Airstrip. All delegates are expected to transport themselves to Kampala. This conference is being organized by the National Secretariat under the supervision of the oversight committee comprising some CEC members headed by the First National Vice Chairperson Rt. Hon. Al-Hajj Moses Kigongo.
