The members of the Central Executive Committee (CEC) of the National Resistance Movement (NRM) have failed to agree on which mode of voting strategy the party should adopt while carrying out their primaries in such a time of Covid-19.
In January this year, the same CEC approved a proposal to amend the party Constitution to cater for voting by lining up behind candidates in primaries. Backing up the decision the National NRM party Chairman President Yoweri Museveni said that the choice to line up behind candidates would solve many troubles that have severally been characterised by the secret ballot in the past elections.
“Secret ballot is costly logistically and also doesn’t solve the problem of cheating, because lining up is clear. Nobody can say I was cheated because everybody will be observing. But Secret ballots involve financial implications and also the issue transparency is difficult I have seen many losing contenders giving excuses of vote-rigging,” Museveni said in January.
However, given the current situation of the Covid-19 pandemic, the same members have failed to agree to put into practice the amendment they passed six months ago.
According to sources in the meeting that was held in the night of Tuesday, some members said that lining up behind candidates currently is a dangerous move since it can lead to widespread of Coronavirus due to the much crowd and congestion expected to be at the polling centres.
Following the disagreement on the matter , members asked the party’s legal team to work out a plan with the Ministry of Health on how party primaries would be conducted without putting the electorates in dangers.
The legal team is expected to present the strategy on Saturday when the CEC meeting will again seat at the State House Entebbe.
Also according to NRM spokesperson Rogers Mulindwa, members failed to pass the names of four people who were appointed by the party National Chairman President Museveni. Members alluded that the appointed people have not yet presented in their Curriculum Vitae (CVs) and other qualifications to the committee, so that they could know their abilities to run those offices.
The four appointed members include; the former Butaleja Member of Parliament Emmanuel Dombo appointed to serve as Director of Information and Publicity. Kyatuheire Jacqueline as Deputy National Treasurer. Mathias Kisamba as Director mobilisation and, Koboko district party chairperson Medina Naham appointed as Director of Finance and Administration.
“Between today and Saturday, all issues must be settled, other departments are also holding meetings, and Saturday will be the final meeting where everything will be settled,” said Mulindwa.
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