Days after opposition side Forum for Democratic Change announced it had expelled three of it’s members, including National Mobilisation Secretary Ingrid Kamateneti Turinawe, President Yoweri Museveni’s media aide Faruk Kirunda has hailed the party leadership for the strong action, urging NRM to pick notes if they are to clamp on internal indiscipline.
Even when some victim sympathizers like Deputy Lady Mayor Doreen Nyanjura wished for sympathy from party Secretary General Nathan Nandala Mafabi while casting judgement on the matter due to the legendary role played by Turinawe in FDC,Kirunda says these did not attack him (Nandala) for they knew his actions were lawful.
He thus says the stern action should be taken as a challenge to both NRM and other parties in reigning on their defiant members in what he referred to as ‘ Walking the talk ‘ of letting party constitutions reign supreme.
He for instance says a similar approach should have been employed in dealing with the rebel MPs who had made it a habit to disobey the party’s official positions and using the wrong fora to address their grievances. Even when Party Secretary General Justine Kasule Lumumba had locked them out of this year’s January 25/26 delegates conference, the errant members somehow secured a way to attend which Museveni’s media Assistant says was a very bad example.
On Museveni constantly engaging such members in dialogue, Kirunda says it’s a mechanism that is unsustainable since it entails bending the law to suit a few while exposing party constitutions to violation.
Below is the missive authored by Kirunda on the matter;
The Forum for Democratic Change (FDC) has made a drastic decision of expelling party members/leaders who defied its constitution to stand as independent candidates in the Parliamentary elections. Among the expelled leaders is Ingrid Turinawe, the first chairperson of the party’s women’s league, who is vying for Rukungiri Municipality seat against the party candidate.
The expulsion was announced by the party’s Secretary General, Nandala Mafabi. A cold shiver descended down the spines of other members, more so personal friends of Turinawe such as Nyanjura Doreen, the deputy Lord Mayor of Kampala who “eulogized” her friend’s great works in FDC. However, despite the personal connection, Nyanjura did not fault FDC, since Nandala acted in accordance with the party’s constitution which Turinawe and others were well aware of when they acted in contravention.
In taking the stern action, FDC challenged NRM (and other parties) which has failed to walk the talk or walk the line of the law in clamping down on internal discipline. I know that had it been NRM taking the drastic action, there would be a sea of condemnation coming from all angles including from members of the party as if the constitution only applies when it is their “enemies” touched.
Early this year in the run up to the NRM Delegates Conference (held on January 24 and 25), debate was reignited about the role of the “rebel Members of Parliament” whose reputation for opposing official positions in the wrong forum is legendary to a point that they have almost become a regular feature of the NRM framework with their own “caucus” and other entitlements irregularly apportioned them in the duplicity of political survival on one hand and discipline on the other. At time, it was announced (initially) that 30 MPs who defied the party by not supporting the Age Limit Bill, would not be allowed to attend the conference. Party Secretary General, Kasule Lumumba, was said to lead the call for tough action on the group. However, they were to be allowed in, with legal minds making arguments I didn’t buy given that the party constitution seems to be explicit on tendencies exhibited by such members.
Later, we saw them meeting President Museveni, the party National Chairman where they were said to have apologised. I know that a lot of things happen in NRM which are possible only because we have a ship captain who is so good at what he does that he can steer the ship over any iceberg and through any storm but that is an ad hoc way of doing things. It is not sustainable.
Museveni can cause dialogue and bring back dissenters on board at any time (something I doubt FDC and the other parties have since they lack guardian figures to moderate such action) but his magnanimity and expertise does not substitute party laws and formal ways of doing things. Museveni acts as a star father mobiliser, saving the lost sheep from straying to wolf territory; falling from the frying pan into the fire but it is not sustainable.
At some point, it is advisable to crack the whip since handling repeater offenders diplomatically causes other members to become disobedient and hardened. In January, I argued that beyond the legal arguments and counter arguments, the political and moral question weighed heavily since belonging to a political party is for purposes of cooperating with other members to achieve collective objectives. Apparently dizzy with success, some members seem to prefer drowning individually than swimming together to a common destination and that was endangering NRM as a whole.
Being extremist, discussing issues in wrong forums and abandoning agreed upon party positions while working against the party and supporting the opposition did not seem like the action of a responsible party member.
This is what I wanted resolved and still want resolved.
Anybody who says that in NRM dissent is prohibited is lying because NRM is the most tolerant political organisation in the whole world, which explains why despite commanding an absolute mainstream following, it is soft on its opponents, making them come off (opponents) as the majority. But tolerance has limits and comes with responsibility on the part of the tolerated. In case they cannot appreciate the good graces, then the whip should be cracked as seen in Nandala’s action.
Belonging in a political party is by choice, premised on the free entry and exit doctrine. If one feels burdened by legal requirements, it is better to step out and be independent or seek out parties with no constitution or internal order if there is any.
Right now we are in campaigns but NRM has the largest number of independents vying against official party flagbearers. This poses a risk of fragmenting the party’s votes and may lead to unnecessarily giving rival parties leeway.
NRM is in a comfortable position to demarcate its membership better than opposition parties that do not have numbers or a strong leader to ideologically uplift members with squinted eyes before they are given an ultimatum to either comply or get booted.
The habit of people jumping in bed with NRM when they need something like winning seats and then hoping into the opposition bed after getting what they want or when decisions do not favour them should be stamped out by acting very firmly against straight offenders.
NRM has an exemplary duty to save and clean up Uganda’s politics by effectively reining in and taming its “prodigal children” who are “infecting” members of other parties with their deceptive brand of politics. If the party loses any votes, they are partly to blame.
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