By Mulengera Reporters
Led by their leadership, the ruling NRM MPs uniting under their Parliamentary caucus have successfully managed to extract Shs100m for each one of them from the President who is also the national chairman for the ruling party. The money is aimed at enabling them to dominate and influence the outcome of NRM grass root structures elections, which begins this week, in their respective constituencies to the detriment of their rivals.
With a total of 337 members in a house of 529 MPs, the deal entitled caucus members to collectively share not less than Shs37bn. Just like that. Purpose? To enable them to impactfully participate in the NRM grass roots structures elections across the country.
When administrative expenses and what goes on friendly independents is all consolidated and factored in, the total grows to approximately Shs45bn which the naturally very generous big man from Rwakitura (for whom money has never been a problem) must have designated for the above referenced mobilization exercise.
The exercise, which CEC mandated to Dr. Tanga Odoi in his capacity as chairperson for the newly reconstituted NRM electoral commission, is aimed at producing new village level bleaders who will oversee party primaries and the determination of flag bearers for NRM as the country counts down to 2026.
The exercise is commencing this week and the legislators are supposed to use this money to mobilize and reenergize ruling party members to peacefully participate in the exercise and thereby creating some good media vibe and visibility for the big man from Rwakitura. Naturally, every MP will be interested in using this Shs100m facilitation to work towards ensuring that the leadership structure in their respective constituencies gets to be dominated by loyalists who will ensure they are retained as party flag bearers.
In many parts of rural Uganda being NRM flag bearer delivers any candidate by up to 70% towards winning in the national elections. In Kampala, the NRM looks crumbled up but in the countryside, being the ruling party’s candidate means being Gen Museveni’s favorite whose victory must be facilitated and secured by the RDCs and the entire security structure.
Being NRM flag bearer also increases the candidate’s resource mobilization position as campaign cash and other logistics become assured. You can also keep breaching the election campaigning rules and guidelines and easily get away with it as the Simon Byabakama EC will think more than twice before cracking the whip over breached rules as long as the offender is Musevenist!
Sources indicate that the MPs, who originally expected Shs50m only to be surprised with Museveni doubling it to Shs100m, began receiving the money Monday evening through a network of paymasters that was quickly put in place by the Government Chief Whip Hamson Obua. It was received in cash and not through the bank and this was meant to circumvent money lenders and other creditors. Sources say that during their most recent two Caucus meetings, the NRM MPs unanimously pressurized Museveni to give them something to overcome their poverty-stricken position as they plunge into villages to ensure their respective cronies, agents and protégés win grass root structures elections.
Some MPs told the President about money lenders being on their case yet they are faced with formidable and financially better capacitated opponents. The President reluctantly agreed to Shs50m which miraculously was doubled to Shs100m as MPs turned up at designated locations to receive the money effective Monday evening.
However, the money has created chaos of some sort and might become counterproductive for some of the recipient MPs. Their opponents have got wind of the information and have resorted to inciting other NRM influencers in the respective constituencies to demand for their share and this in effect makes Shs100m peanuts capable of running out within just days. Even some legislators’ political assistants and political campaigning agents have resorted to demanding for more facilitation than would ordinarily have been acceptable.
Even organizers of public functions like burials and fundraising ceremonies or even graduation parties have become prepared to expect much heftier contributions from all these NRM MPs who they have realized are now loaded having received Shs100m from the party chairman. The money was equally received by more than half of the 73 independent MPs who are in political alliance and cooperation of some sort with the ruling NRM.
Even at Kyadondo and Kyambogo, key Museveni enablers are uncomfortable with MPs receiving Shs100m each. There are concerns and discomfort that the President didn’t involve those two power centers whose officials desired to be the ones to be designated to do the actual distribution of the cash to the 337 NRM MPs. This has since created animosity and thereby multiplying on the resultant chaos as the ruling party cadres plunge into this very important exercise across the country. (For comments on this story, get back to us on 0705579994 [WhatsApp line], 0779411734 & 041 4674611 or email us at mulengeranews@gmail.com).
