Lwengo voters wary of violence as NRM plans joint campaigns

Kampala, Uganda | THE INDEPENDENT | A section of National Resistance Movement (NRM) supporters in Lwengo district has asked the party to be cautious with joint campaigns for the party’s primary elections, warning that they may turn into scenes of violence between contenders.

According to them, the different intending aspirants for the party flag in the next general elections have already formed warring factions of fans and violent gangs, who may fight when they converge at the same campaign venue.

Tanga Odoi, the NRM Electoral Commission Chairperson, has already indicated that contestants for the party flag on the same leadership positions will address joint campaign rallies in their respective areas as a way of minimizing expenditure and maintaining discipline within the party.

According to the NRM elections roadmap, the party will conduct joint campaigns for members of parliament, district chairpersons, mayors, and councillors from  July 1 up to 14th July, ahead of their primaries slated for 17th.

Bruce Nzabinita, one of the party mobilizers in Lwengo is afraid that the intended joint rallies may turn into scenes of violence in the area, attributing it to the current hostilities among intending aspirants.

He observes that many of the intending aspirants got involved in early campaigns, hence politically charging the communities and creating warring camps of supporters who have already exhibited confrontational characters against each other.

For instance, according to him, political tempers are already heated up in Bukoto West, Bukoto Midwest and Bukoto South Constituencies, where supporters of the incumbent Members of Parliament have openly clashed with camps of their potential opponents.

Nzabanita prefers that the party allow each of the candidates to independently run their campaigns to avoid further confrontations that may even be carried forward into the general elections.

Elizabeth Nalule, the NRM Youth Secretary for Malongo sub county, indicates warns that unless the party first reconciles the camps of the different candidates, the planned joint campaigns may not be possible in the area.

“If people already cannot greet each other because they support different candidates, I don’t believe that they can share a common campaign platform and address the same rally,” she says.

She explains that many of the NRM structure leaders who are expected to organize and oversee the joint campaigns are already biased and have already become campaign agents of a specific candidate, which has put them on a collision course with the opponents.

Ibrahim Kitatta, the current Lwengo L.CV Chairperson, who has, however, picked nominations to contest for Bukoto West Parliament seat, is also uncertain that joint rallies will end peacefully, given the conduct of incumbents, whom he accuses of fomenting hostilities against anybody seeking to unseat them.

He challenges that party to ensure a security presence at all planned joint rallies in the area to avert possible physical confrontation between candidates and their supporters.

Nevertheless, Kitatta appreciates that the joint campaigns provide the electorate with the opportunity to assess the capacity of people who seek to become their leaders.

Doctor Twaha Kagabo Mzeeyi, the incumbent MP for Bukoto South, says that it is important for the party to make proper arrangements that can provide level ground for all candidates and task them to exercise control over their supporters.

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