Zoe Bakoko Bakoru, the former minister for Gender, Labor and Social Development had been fronted by West Nilers led by Gen. Moses Ali to be the 2nd National Vice Chairperson (Female) when the movement evolved into NRM.
Everything had been laid as the President also NRM chairman reportedly wanted to appease the West Nilers who were still opposed to his regime and voted for Reform Agenda’s Kizza Besigye.
Inspectors said, as Museveni brought the subject, Rebecca Alitwala Kadaga (then Deputy speaker) banged tables Isaac Ssemakadde style and boldly asked the President ‘what do you want me to tell the Basoga. I mean the Basoga who voted overwhelmingly for you against Besigye? (I tell them) that the man you gave your total support has even denied you a position in NRM?”
When the card of who voted well came up, Museveni dropped his initial idea of letting Bakoko Bakoru to take up the position and in the end, Kadaga carried the day! Another concession was in respect of Chrispus Kiyonga who had readied himself to take up the job of NRM SG having been the NPC and head of the Movement Secretariat. However, Museveni favored Amama Mbabazi and Kiyonga was promised a juicy cabinet job of defense minister which he later in the new (3rd) term cabinet occupied for a decade!
Now, Inspectors suggested that the NRM party boss finds himself in a similar situation as new voices have come up ready to remove Kadaga from CEC, a position she has kept since NRM party came into play.
The Speaker of Parliament is the most fiercest in demanding Kadaga’s ouster and yet even other relatively young Turks like Mariam Naigaga, Haruna Kasolo among others also want to enter CEC targeting legendary Mike Mukula (Eastern) and Godfrey Kiwanda (Buganda) respectively.
And whereas Kadaga played the ‘We Voted Well Card’ at the time, Museveni in the last General Elections performed badly in her Busoga Sub-Region where out of the 11 districts and a City, the NRM Presidential candidate Museveni only won in three districts including Kaliro, Namutumba and Buyende! Even here, the margin was also not convincing enough as NUP’s Robert Kyagulanyi Bobi Wine swept almost everything.
It’s also worthy noting that although Bobi defeated Museveni personally in Busoga, the same Museveni badly defeated the NUP Principal in amassing numbers at Parliamentary level. This therefore, according to Inspectors, still leaves Kadaga with a claim on the ‘We Voted Well Card’ for Museveni to simply look on as she’s being feasted on by NRM young Turks like the Speaker whose Teso Sub-Region, also voted relatively well for the NRM Boss and party!
Inspectors suggested that inside the kitchen, intelligence has allegedly warned of an impeding threat where if not properly handled; the current CEC members who will lose their positions to new faces might work with the opposition.
“This is where the challenge is. They may seem old but still command respect in the areas they come from. Others have build a national or regional character. Therefore, dumping them at this stage might be counter productive” explained an inspector.
Secondly, there’s a big issue regarding the fate of Al-Haj Moses Kigongo, the NRM Vice Chairman. Here, inspectors said any attempt to directly open up the voting on CEC positions might expose the man of Allah to political scavengers in the party. Therefore, as a way of tactfully insulating him, a proposal to provide a blanket cover on all the incumbents is allegedly being discussed. However, even as this is being discussed, a plan to undermine those still in elective politics during NRM primaries is also being discussed in certain quarters. Here, if they are to stay in CEC, it’s being suggested that some of them must be tactfully kicked out of Parliament as the race for speakership in 2026 is also a matter of concern whose outcome ought to be nurtured through NRM primary level! In fact, this is the reason NRM EC has come up with strict guidelines to be signed by intending Parliamentary contestants confirming that they will not stand as independents after losing in primaries. The idea we’re told is to sieve the NRM speakership candidate race through primaries!
THE PLAN
Inspectors said although the NRM Secretariat led by its (emphasize appointed) Secretary General was released, this was partly meant to guide a process upon which the ‘Save CEC Members’ project is hinged!
In the alleged project, all structural elections in NRM are being proposed to stop at District level. This therefore, implies that the elections will run from the village up to NRM flag bearers and district Chairpersons who will form NRM National Executive Committee (nec).
It is this NEC where the secretariat is going to put emphasis to ensure that only those with good brains and less chaotic sail through before the National Conference is summoned in late August.
We’re told before the National Conference takes place, NRM CEC is supposed to be summoned and come up with particular resolutions related to the flag bearer, retention of the current CEC composition and names of those to fill the vacant positions in CEC created by Jacob Oulanya and Simon Aleper demise years back.
“The National Conference will only endorse what CEC will bring. There will be no election. CEC will also propose names of people to fill the vacant positions of Northern region Vice Chairperson and Karamoja. These will also be confirmed by the members but not vote voting” explained an inspector.
On the other hand, since majority of those seeking to unseat several incumbent CEC members are allegedly aligned to PLU, inspectors said this organization treated as NRM TWO, might also be allowed to organize and come up with its own ‘elected top leadership’ to act as it’s CEC. It is in such an arrangement according to Inspectors, that majority of intending candidates will be absorbed while others will be promised cabinet appointments. Watch this space!
