{UAH} NRM approves lining up behind candidates in party primaries

Folks;

This proposal - that voters queue behind their candidate of choice - is anti-democracy. Its proponents may reasonably argue that lining behind a candidate is simply an open expression of support for the contestant.

But the opposite is more true: voters would not want to be seen to line behind a candidate who is not in favor of the ruling party. This exposure of preference is likely to lead to post-election retaliations, since both sides of the political divide will know how they voted.

It's for this fear that democratic systems developed the secret ballot, so that candidates do not know who voted for or against them.

This secret voting system gives the candidates a clean slate from where to start: treat all voters without favor or discrimination, because they have no idea who voted for them.

The NRM is likely pushing for this archaic system because it offers the party the indefensible excuse to scare and threaten voters with reprisals, if they are seen to queue behind anti-NRM candidates.

Pojim

NRM's approves lining up behind candidates in party primaries

By Maurice Okore

Added 17th July 2020 04:35 PM

The resolution was adopted on Thursday in a meeting at State House, Entebbe

Voters will line up behind parliamentary and local government candidates in NRM primaries. File Photo

The NRM Central Executive Committee has resolved to allow voters to line up behind candidates in the party's primary elections.

The resolution was adopted on Thursday in a meeting at State House, Entebbe, chaired by NRM national party chairman President Yoweri Museveni.

"CEC hereby resolves to specifically adopt lining-up as the appropriate mode of voting for NRM primaries to generate candidates for Parliamentary and Local Government elections; in strict compliance and observance with the COVID-19 Regulations issued under the Public Health Act," read a document signed by both President Museveni and the party secretary-general Kasule Lumumba Justine.

The party also resolved to specifically adopt "resolution by circulation" as the mode of voting for the election of its presidential flag bearer and members of the NRM Central Executive Committee.

According to the document, the resolutions were adopted following a report that was submitted by the secretary-general Kasule Lumumba to the top party organ providing a combination of options available to the NRM for both its internal elections, as well as for the election of its flag bearers to all national elective positions