President Yoweri Museveni has urged politicians with in his own party to desist from bickering and mud-slinging especially as they compete for the Nakawa Division MP race ahead of 2016 general elections.
The words of caution came in the wake of a bitter row for the MPs seat between incumbent MP Fred Ruhindi (NRM) who also doubles as Deputy Minister of Constitutional Affairs, Ruhindi was allegedly not invited.
In a speech read for him by the Nakawa Division Resident City Commission (RCC) Jackie Kiiza Kemigisha President Museveni said: “We have always cherished party cohesion and togetherness for sustainable transformation. However this is still lacking as you can see. Divisions within Nakawa are bad and this must stop because bickering and backbiting will not take our party forward.”
In an exclusive interview with “The Sunrise, Kemigisha expressed concern about what she termed as “the conspicuous absence of the area MP Fredrick Ruhindi’s whom she said only called her to convey greeting messages to the celebrants”
“For example the area MP has not been invited to participate in this function, plus other leaders in the NRM party structures.” Kemigisha said calling for greater mobilization when the same function, now agreed to become annual, will be held next year.
But officials in Arinaitwe’s camp which organized the function has denied allegations that Ruhindi was not invited.
“We can show you the messenger who physically carried the letter only to be blasted by Ruhindi in his own office wondering what we were up to,organizing this function!” said Ben Ikanza the NRM mobilizer in Nakawa Division
But Arinaitwe has so far plaid his cards smartly.
He has not yet voiced his parliamentary ambitions to date, although Ruhindi’s supporters have already smelled the rat judging by the growing support and popularity he has garnered in the Division and Kampala City lately.
They have hence responded with anger branding the Nakawa NRM day as “a Trojan horse” calculated to offer Arinaitwe a campaigning platform well ahead of 2016.
“It is clear that Arinaitwe has sponsored this function as his campaign platform come 2016 and that is why Ruhindi was not invited, ” said one of Ruhindi supporters who preferred anonymity.
But Arinaitwe dismissed the allegation as baseless and misleading explaining that the NRM day he organized was at the request of NRM members.
“I organized the Nakawa NRM function following a request by the Nakawa youth who, along with other NRM Members in Nakawa including myself missed the Soroti celebrations for some reasons,” Arinaitwe stated amid cheers from his supporters.
He rejected allegations that he sidelined area MP Ruhindi when he said, he had even received a message of support from him but he (Ruhindi) excused himself for not attending.
President Museveni urged all NRM members aspiring to stand for elective positions to avoid early politicking and monetization of politics warning that they will compromise party peace and cohesion.
” Avoid early politicking and monetization of politics. Openness in the party will help to build and mend the broken fences within the party,” Museveni stressed.
Efforts to get a comment from Fredrick Ruhindi were fruitless as he was not picking his phone.
