“President Museveni on EALA elections: “This is a serious matter. It is about electing people who know what is involved in integration” (NBS TV Uganda, 07.02.2017)
Yesterday, the Forum for Democratic Change (FDC), the main opposition had been able within the FDC NEC to pick their EALA candidates for the new EALA Uganda Members in the East African Legislation Assembly. As the current Members have to be elected as the new delegation will be elected for 2017, when the 3rd Assembly is done with their term. Each of the East Africa Nation has their delegation and that will change.
Dr. Tanga Odoi had a tentative map that was released the 30th January 2017. The National Resistance Movement we’re supposed to have picked the candidates by 2nd February 2017. The NRM Caucus was supposed to happen at the Parliament Avenue and at the Parliament on the 6th February, the same day that FDC had their election. Still, that changed.
NRM EC and NRM CEC have had to make other decisions as the NRM Caucus for EALA happen at the State House today. Also on the 4th February at the State House, there was reported that after NRM CEC meeting in the State House, the NRM Woman’s League was also going through the vetting of the candidates at the house that day.
There was 300 NRM MPs at the State House today for the NRM EALA Primary Caucus. Each aspirant for the candidacy of the EALA Member for Uganda cost Ush. 2m, this was given as a safety and to pay for the NRM EC administration.
“NRM EALA voting cancelled. Fresh elections will be repeated tomorrow. New ballot papers will be printed too. Voting for EALA in Entebbe hits a snag after it was realised that the ballot papers were not enough. Embarrassed Party secretary general Kasule Lumumba however pledged that the exercise will be repeated tomorrow when there are enough ballot papers [2/7, 8:54 PM] Patson: The cancellation came after the tempers of MPs flared during vote counting and failure to agree on the invalid votes vs valid votes Another intimated to this online publication that the cancellation of election was due disagreements over the invalid votes” (The Interrogator UG, 07.02.2017).
There was also reports that the NRM Caucus actually had more ballots invalid than valid when the MPs where voting in this election today, therefore NRM EC leader Odoi got people mad as the questionable election was marred with irregularities. There been reported fist-fights, MPs knocking and kicking ballot-boxes. However, to see peaceful election seems too be hard for the ruling party in the Republic, when they are supposed to elect amongst their own.
Also a key point of concern was that just after or been released information is that of the 9 members to EALA, the amount of candidates from the NRM isn’t 7 as anticipated, instead the NRM are only to have 6 candidates from the party. That gives the NRM CEC and NRM Caucus a giant issue, if this is true, than the chaos and such is proving how fragile the internal-party is as in the last minute the Party has less slots than it was supposed to have.
There was 300 NRM MPs, but collectively the numbers supposed to be a 1,000 people there for this day and for the Caucus. Still, the NRM could not collect themselves or to get a consensus for who supposed to represent the NRM in the EALA. As the NRM was about spend about Ush.1, 6 billion on these election. That happens as from Kampala the Yellow Buses had to arrive at the Okello House, the house that the State hasn’t paid the rent for or enough for a while. Still, NRM wanted to show the world glory with a free and fair election, which yet again didn’t happen.
Since the NRM doesn’t have that ability. They need more ballot paper before tomorrow; surely they will use as much government funds tomorrow as the NRM party will continue to fight for becoming Member from Uganda in the EALA. That is a secure job for a term and you can work in peace in Arusha, then being under the wing of Museveni and never knowing what the next idea of the President. Peace.
MinBane 