By Simon Turibamwe
While addressing the weekly press conference on Monday, DP President General Norbert Mao said that forces of change are ready to press President Museveni and see him with his NRM get stressed during this political season. Like the opposition called for Isolation for all MPs who supported the Magyezi Bill, Mao has also called for intensive pressure against those who resolved to ring-fence president Museveni as sole candidate for the NRM locking other potential leaders of the party outside.
Mao’s message seems to have worked well inside the NRM MPS who are opposed to the Kyankwanzi resolution and the continuity of president Museveni. Buyaga county MP Barnabas Tinkasiimire was today seen on NBS TV blasting his NRM fellows for isolating themselves in Kyankwanzi to perform rituals that focus on President Museveni’s existence and forgot to talk about issues affecting Ugandans. Tinkasiimire who was hosted together with his counterpart Bukoli’s Solomon Silwanyi, said that he will disassociate himself from fellow NRM MPs who continued to exhibit their dishonesty to the public in the interest one person. He said that discussing the return of President Museveni at Kyankwanzi was not more important for Silwanyi who is also the deputy Chief Whip for NRM party than discussing poverty stricken Busoga. He noted that much as he was isolated for the retreat with an intention to block his constructive contribution, he could not participate in discussing issues that concerns not the citizens, when his voters in Buyaga depend on one meal per day. “After 33 years of President Museveni people still depend on one meal and an example is in my constituency of Buyaga with Museveni talking of Bona Bagagawale, Steady Progress and Operation Wealth Creation. But because of your dishonesty you encourage him to continue ruling Ugandans. I can’t be part of that even if I was elected by NRM people because I wouldn’t be honest to the voters,” Tinkasiimire said. He added that it doesn’t need him to support Museveni’s rule for him to show loyalty to the NRM because there is Museveni and NRM.
“I have no reason to support Museveni’s stay for me to be called NRM, because Museveni is not the NRM and NRM is not Museveni, each can exist without the other but for those who gather in Kyankwanzi have failed to separate the two,” said Tinkasiimire. On Tuesday, Kampala Central MP Mohamed Nsereko said that the Kyankwanzi rituals are performed to keep Ugandans in darkness. He noted that the 2021 general elections will not be a mere presidential election but a referendum to whether Ugandans want to remain in NRM or to see the promised Uganda after Museveni. In response NRM deputy Chief Whip Solomon Silwanyi said that Tinkasiimire and his group are isolated because of their defiance to every party business. “You people have not accepted that your views can be defeated and whenever you are defeated you accuse the party of being undemocratic. We can’t involve you in something we already know you will oppose or disagree with,” said Silwanyi. Silwanyi asked Tinkasiimire and others to stop telling the world that Museveni’s sole candidature means life presidency because chances are many to replace him if they manage to defeat him in a democratic election. “It’s not true that NRM doesn’t believe in power transition. We also don’t promote life Presidency by fielding president Museveni as our candidate or by amending the constitution because the field is open for whoever wants to contest against our Museveni. Once he is voted out we will accept and handover power,” Silwanyi said. For comments, call or text 0752510225.
