By Hon. Dr. Godfrey Pereza Ahabwe
On one occasion at the National Leadership Institute, Kyankwanzi, the President explained the emergence of the ‘MK Movement’ as a political force. He unequivocally postulated that MK came in to fill the void created by inaction of the NRM Secretariat as far as mobilization of the youth was concerned. “Museveni links Muhoozi’s rise to NRM Weaknesses” (Daily Monitor: Friday, June 02, 2023).
I thought, then, that the President was being unfair to publicly castigate the NRM as weak yet he heads it as the Chairman of its major organs, the Central Executive Committee, the National Executive Council, and the National Conference, its major sponsor, and proposer for appointment of its administrative personnel namely; the Secretary General, the Directors, and Commissioners, among other appointments.
Apart from the Central Executive Committee that is elected by the National Conference, the various Leagues and Forums, all other National Organs of the Party are constituted by the Chairman with the approval of the National Executive Council.
What then, I asked myself, would be the weaknesses prevalent in the NRM that are intractable to the extent of causing frustration to the youth to create a splinter group and this is acceptable yet there is a whole organ of the youth that has structures right from the village up to the National Youth League?
I sometimes question President Museveni’s decisions and statements and I know he knows it. On this one, I now see his wisdom. He must have seen how politically naïve and immature Ugandans continue to be. He has said it on many occasions before but as he has always stated, when you choose to take a different path or route against his advice, he goes along but reminds you at the opportune time when things do not work out.
The NRM CEC and Secretariat have now demonstrated to us how indeed weak they are. Why think that a handful of Directors and Commissioners at the NRM Secretariat as well as the few CEC members could single – handedly mobilize the entire country for his vote and even then, by following the President wherever he goes for campaigning to be seen at every rally?
How could the President have trusted that a fragmented and divided NRM local leadership plus selfish and vote hungry NRM flag-bearers would deliver him victory?
Recently, I used a military concept of “Combined Arms Element” when dealing with a difficult armed enemy in war to apply to vote hunting. This was the missing link!
Majority of the NRM Promoters (founder members), former MPs, Historicals, and such other strong opinion leaders should have been mobilized into a formidable force and deployed! This did not happen despite some of us advising as such.
No wonder, in some regions such as Buganda and Kigezi, people were/are agitated that the sons and daughters of the soil were/are not seen taking charge of the vote mobilization in their regions. Now, to fill the void, Uganda People’s Defence Forces have taken a frontline in ensuring victory for their Commander-in-Chief.
In 2011, I coordinated the NRM vote protection team well designed and deployed up to every polling station in the entire country. The ‘friendly’ forces we worked with were behind the scenes and largely supplied us with information. NRM was victorious with 68.4 percent of the vote without firing a single shot or canister of tear gas! Who invented the concept of “best practices”?
NRM doesn’t seem to know how to apply it! The army by nature knows best how to deal with difficult situations: FORCE! They must deliver victory for their Commander-in-Chief at whatever cost, even if it means taking over the role of the Electoral Commission. It is sad but true! Who is to blame? An exceptionally weak leadership of the NRM Party!
I now wholly agree with President Museveni’s observation of Friday, June 02, 2023 at the National Leadership Institute, Kyankwanzi.
The author is a former Minister of State for Local Government
Contact: ahabwegodfrey40@gmail.com. +256772424536)
