NRM bosses in trouble over Open Voting named

By Henry Mulindwa

It is now crystal clear that the ruling National Resistance Movement (NRM) party will adopt lining up as the method for voting for its officials, save for the Chairman, Yoweri Museveni, whose 2021 candidature has already been endorsed by two of the party’s top organs, the Central Executive Committee (CEC) and the NRM Parliamentary Caucus.

The move that was suggested by the party’s CEC during a retreat at Chobe Lodge, is aimed at fostering transparency which will in turn remedy the divisions caused by election petitions lodged by those suspicious of the secret voting that has been the modus operandi.

But like they say, there are always two sides to a coin. So, while many party supporters agree that the open voting will entrench transparency, others opine that it is a recipe for disaster for those party members who have always ridden on the party chairman Yoweri Museveni’s clout, to get or retain party slots.

“The good or bad thing about this lining up is that with it you cannot petition for clemency on account of being cheated in any way. That means that once the system is adopted, everyone will be accountable to the electorate because voting will be a do-or-die issue. This means harsh times await those that won’t have concrete credentials since there will be no chance for them to blackmail the Chairman,” a party strategist said on condition of remaining anonymous.

According to the party strategist, these may be victims of the open voting if their previous conditions persist into the next term.

In this analysis, The Second Opinion lists senior party officials who nearly lost their CEC positions this term only to be saved by the Chairman’s intervention.

ABDU NADDULI
He is the party’s vice chairperson for Buganda region; a position he has held since 2006. He, however, nearly lost it to Godfrey Kiwanda, who had laid a political ambush against him in 2015, only for Nadduli to be saved by the President.  Sources say that when Nadduli chose to stand as Luweero LC5 boss, he faced a big challenge in the primaries and he eventually lost to Ronald Ndawula. Insiders say the Nadduli camp tried to push him as an Independent but later realized that some powerful party officials were behind his downfall, so he backed off.
His only hope then was in retaining his vice chairperson job but even here Kiwanda, who was also the former chairperson of Buganda Parliamentary Caucus posed a big threat to him. Locked between a rock and hard place, Nadduli cried out to the Chairman to prevail over Kiwanda, who later accepted after being promised a ministerial appointment.  This is how Kiwanda became state minister for tourism.  However, it is now not clear whether the same Chairman, who after all has been insulated against competition, will once again help Nadduli.
“If the president still wants these people in CEC, they will return but if he doesn’t want them, they are gone. And Museveni is so calculative, when he wants something no one will oppose him. He is the one behind this lining behind (open voting) project and no one will stop it. He must be up to something which will benefit him as a person,” says Yahaya Gudoi, a former MP for Bungokho North.

MAJ. GEN. MATAYO KYALIGONZA
Major General Matayo Kyaligonza is one of the bush war heroes and is among the most vocal senior army officers.
He is currently having running battles with the establishment after his recent alleged actions against a female traffic officer, Esther Namaganda. Those in the know suggest that this officer isn’t new to controversies. In the early days of NRM/A, he was a Brigadier though he was later demoted to a Colonel following an assault of a junior officer.  He however, later regained his rank but stagnated on it for 20 years until he was promoted to a Major General and sent into retirement.
Kyaligonza’s woes have been exacerbated by Parliament chaired by Rebecca Kadaga which resolved that he loses his job as Ambassador to Burundi following his reported actions against the female traffic cop. Inside CEC, he is not reported to have many comrades. It is thus no wonder that his continued stay in CEC is down to President Museveni who reined in his son-in-law Odrek Rwabwogo not to dislodge Kyaligonza as NRM vice chairman for western region in 2015.
Asked as to whether subjecting these vice chairmen to lining up for these posts will not cost their jobs, ex-MP Mukose Mutabali says the new method exposes them to threats.
“Have they worked? Are they popular?  Those who aren’t popular will be fired because it will be shameful for one to petition the President yet they lost openly,” he said.

SAM ENGOLA
The former State Minister for Housing is also the former MP for Erute North County in the Ninth Parliament. He almost lost his NRM vice chairperson job to Gen. Moses Ali or Minister Hillary Onek. Sources said Engola had to plead several times with the party chairman to save him from Gen. Ali who was determined to send him packing.

It is said that Gen. Ali later backed down after he was promised to be retained in cabinet as Deputy Premier. With the looming open voting therefore, it remains to be seen what Engola will do should he be faced with a similar hurdle.

MOSES KIGONGO
In the 2010 delegates conference Kigongo faced a hard challenge of containing Rebecca Kadaga, who wanted to dislodge him as NRM National Vice Chairman. When Kadaga showed interest in unseating him, Kigongo the bush war Honorary Brigadier wasn’t shaken at all. He left the matter to the Chairman who has always been the one to ensure that Kigongo keeps his position. It is said that besides being a bush war man, Kigongo plays a big role of serving two interests in that position. It is said that he represents both Buganda and Muslim interests.
And sources said when the standoff ensued, Museveni called his then trusted cadre Amama Mbabazi ‘to find a solution for Kadaga’ since he wanted ‘Kigongo around’ for as long as he (Museveni) remained NRM chairman. The duo thus coined the position of NRM second national vice chairperson whose real work though, is still largely ambiguous. So, this time round it remains to be seen whether Brig. Kigongo will overcome the open voting hurdle.

SIMON ALEPER
Simon Aleper is probably the only vice chairperson who made it there through a contest; he defeated Abim Woman MP Janat Akorimoe to become the NRM vice chairperson for newly created Karamoja region. We are however told that since the region is not so politically active and volatile on the side of the ruling party, the party chairman is ready to work with whoever comes up to represent the region. As such, sources said, there will be no attempt to ring fence anyone from the region — including Aleper himself.

MIKE MUKULA
By now, Jinja West legislator Moses Balyeku would be sitting in the chair of NRM vice chairperson Eastern region, replacing flamboyant Mike Mukula. Balyeku had put a spirited fight to show the former Soroti municipality MP the exit.  However, just like in other regions, the Chairman intervened, resulting in Mukula retaining the chair. And now that the matter has been opened up, it is said that most NRM gurus are waiting for the day of voting vice chairpersons.