{UAH} Pojim/WBK: The Observer - Inside story of NRM party jobs

http://www.observer.ug/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=35656:inside-story-of-nrm-party-jobs&catid=78:topstories&Itemid=116

The Observer - Inside story of NRM party jobs

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Wednesday, 24 December 2014 01:24

Written by Sadab Kitatta Kaaya

President Museveni and Kasule Lumumba on a recent trip in Italy

• Museveni: 'Let youths make their own mistakes'
• Chairman names Mbabazi on party's CEC     
• How Lumumba beat Todwong to NRM top job

To become NRM secretary general, Justine Kasule Lumumba on Monday night defeated two key opponents, four other contenders and strong opposition from historicals on the party's Central Executive Committee that picked the eventual winner.

When President Museveni, the chairman of the ruling party, arrived for the CEC meeting at State House, Entebbe, he presented a list of five probable leaders of the party, a week after the December 15 NRM delegates' conference amended the party constitution and granted him powers to appoint a secretary general.

The list comprised ministers Rosemary Namayanja (Information and National Guidance), Justine Kasule Lumumba (Government Chief Whip), Richard Todwong (Political mobilization), Kaberamaido MP Dr Kenneth Omona and Tanga Odoi, a history lecturer.

Before he read out the names, President Museveni asked Lumumba, a member of CEC, to leave the meeting. He then asked CEC members to choose a secretary general from among the five names and also designate positions for the rest of the nominees who would run the party's secretariat.

Museveni's nominees triggered heated debate mainly from historical members, who detested the choice of mainly youthful cadres to run the party.
During the stormy meeting, Prime Minister Ruhakana Rugunda proposed Defence Minister Crispus Kiyonga as a compromise candidate to become secretary general.

He argued that Kiyonga would bring experience to the party since he has been hardworking from 1980.

Sseninde, Alupo

As debate raged, Museveni leaned to persuasion to get CEC to accept his choice of younger cadres. He reportedly said there were so many cadres within the NRM who can do the SG job, citing Rosemary Sseninde, the Wakiso Woman MP.  Sseninde, Museveni said, can be very good because she represents two million people.

Museveni also pointed to Education and Sports Minister Jessica Alupo, who, he said, can also do a good job for the party much as she is quarrelsome.

"Let's give young people a chance; if you think they will make mistakes, we, the ideological people are still here, we will guide them; we will write for them what to say," Museveni is quoted as having said.

"I am still here, I am not going anywhere. Let them make their own mistakes; we will correct them. They may not be ideological but they are very energetic," Museveni said.

According to NRM Deputy Spokesman Ofwono Opondo, in choosing younger cadres, Museveni took into consideration the March 2014 NRM caucus resolution that recommended that the SG should be someone aged below 45 years.

Lumumba vs Todwong

According to a source familiar with the debate in CEC, Museveni preferred Todwong as SG but was overruled by the majority of CEC members who faulted his previous performance as minister without Portfolio in charge of Political mobilization. Within the meeting, Lumumba and Namayanja were clear front runners, on the strength that they would consolidate the women vote.

Their religious leanings were also factored in. Lumumba is a staunch Catholic and Namayanja, a strong Seventh Day Adventistist (SDA). Their strong religious leanings, CEC thought, would win NRM a block vote from those churches. On that rating, Lumumba was chosen as SG and Namayanja, treasurer.

According to Ofwono Opondo, Lumumba was assessed based on her effectiveness as party chief whip in Parliament, having managed to instill discipline among NRM MPs, some of who had become errant. Todwong became her deputy while Omona became Namayanja's deputy. Odoi was named chairman of the party's electoral commission.

Among NRM MPs, Namayanja was favourite to succeed Mbabazi as secretary general, a prospect, which potentially made her a rival to Todwong, who saw himself as the next SG, given his appointment as minister in charge of political mobilization. Interviewed last week before her appointment, Lumumba had tapped Namayanja for the SG job. But Opondo said Lumumba's past experience handling party finances played in her favour.

"She has previously handled resources and because she is a straight forward person, she has not had any cases of abuse of resources," Opondo added.

In explaining his choice of Omona, Museveni told the meeting that the Kaberamaido MP is a hardworking cadre who quietly accomplishes his assignments.

"He is very efficient although he is not as loud as others; if you ask him to gather information, he will do it quietly and neatly," Museveni said.

According to a source, Museveni picked interest in Omona from his university days when he mobilized students against the rebel Lord's Resistance Army.

"What you probably failed to capture is that he [Omona] is the man who was deployed to track Mbabazi's activities. Even before the lid was blown at Kyankwanzi, Omona had been tracking him [Mbabazi]," the source said.

After the names had been approved, Museveni invited Lumumba back to the meeting and asked her whether she was ready to relinquish her parliamentary seat to which she agreed. The president then informed her that she had been selected as the party's new secretary general.

Surprised

Among the four, Lumumba was the only one at Entebbe because she's a member of CEC. In a brief message to The Observer on Monday night, Lumumba said of her new appointment: "I'm happy and ready to resign my seat…"

Omona, speaking to The Observer yesterday, said: "It is the party that presented me to the people to be their MP, if it deploys me somewhere else, I can't refuse," Omona said.

"It is not about self, it is about the party; I consider the party above my individual interests," he said.

According to Opondo, the appointees are expected to resign their seats after January 8 after they  are endorsed by the National executive committee (NEC).

"By presenting them before CEC, the president was doing good manners; it was informal because it is not a requirement; the authority is with NEC," Opondo said.

According to article 16 (3) (a) of the NRM constitution as amended by the December 15 delegates' conference, the SG, treasurer and their deputies are full time party officers who shall not hold any office in government or any government department or agency in which government has a controlling interest.

The provision also prohibits them from standing for elective office both within the party or national politics.

Mbabazi nominated

Museveni also nominated 10 names of which CEC would pick five people to join the committee as ex-officio members. The nominees are; former prime ministers Amama Mbabazi, Prof Apollo Nsibambi, Kintu Musoke and former deputy prime ministers Eric Adriko and Paul Etyang.

Others are current Prime Minister Dr Ruhakana Rugunda, Trade and Industry minister Amelia Kyambadde, Kahinda Otafiire (Justice and Constitutional Affairs), Prof Edward Rugumayo (Senior presidential adviser), Crispus Kiyonga, Dorothy Hyuha and former VP Speciosa Kazibwe.
sadabkk@observer.ug

The Observer - Inside story of NRM party jobs
http://www.observer.ug/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=35656:inside-story-of-nrm-party-jobs&catid=78:topstories&Itemid=116‎

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