Woe Unto Opposition As NRM Bosses Bury Hatchet

By Richard Kintu

The ruling National Resistance Movement (NRM) party got a shot in the arm on Tuesday when two of its hitherto warring eminent members declared a permanent cessation of hostilities for the sake of party progress in the run up to the 2021 general elections.

The new era of tranquility in the party was declared by NRM Electoral Chairman Dr. Tanga Odoi during a press conference in which party Secretary General briefed Uganda on the nitty gritty of the upcoming NRM National Conference slated for January 25, 2020. At the beginning of her presser, Lummuba invited Tanga to sit by her side, much to the bemusement of journalists and other party diehards.

In her address, Lummumba revealed the list of members expected to attend the conference that 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. The oversight committee will be assisted by the Central Organizing Committee and Sub Committees headed by the Secretary General Rt. Hon Justine Kasule Lumumba deputized by Hon Richard Todwong.

Lumumba further revealed that accreditation for the 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.

Following the communication, Lumumba called for questions from journalists and it is during this time that one journalist asked Dr. Tanga to explain whether his sitting next to Lumumba points to a new chapter in their relationship that has been publicly known to be sour.

In response, Dr. Tanga noted that their bickering was a strategy to serve NRM better although following several concerns they have decided to read from the same page as we head into 2021.

“In fact we have been building synergies and I can assure you that for 2020 going forward we shall be addressing press conferences together,” he said.

He then scoffed at those — especially the opposition — that have been celebrating their animosity. “All soothsayers that were happy with the divisions are finished because we’re now working very well. 2020 will build the foundation for another 20 years of a strong NRM party,” he said.

News of cordial working relations between Tanga and Lumumba come as a big win for the NRM party which is looking at securing another term for its chairman, President Yoweri Museveni.

And to further prove the dawn of a new era of enforced synergies amongst all NRM organs, Tuesday’s press conference was attended by all spokespersons of the party including Faruk Kirunda from the Kyambogo based office of the NRM National chairman as well as Hajji Walusimbi of the NRM Diaspora League.

It should be noted that for a long time, both Lumumba and the fiery academic have been at loggerheads, with either party questioning the other’s methods as regards executing party work.