John Baptist Nambeshe, the Member of Parliament for Manjiya County in Bududa district, Bugisu sub-region, has revealed that he is considering quitting the ruling National Resistance Movement (NRM) in favour of a new political formation.
Nambeshe, a vocal legislator, a Member of the NRM rebel Members of Parliament with sharp disagreements with his party. Last week he appeared to back the latest political group by former army commander Rtd. Major General Mugisha Muntu. He appeared along with Kasambya legislator Mbwatekamwa.
Addressing the Media at Parliament, Nambeshe noted that since the age limit debate, all the NRM legislators that were against the party’s decision have been isolated from the party caucus and related activities.
Nambeshe was responding to media concerns as to whether he was invited for the oncoming caucus meeting that has been called by President Museveni at State House Entebbe to among other things debate the Mobile Money tax.
Nambeshe explained that people should not misunderstand his identification with Gen. Muntu last week, saying that he was there to ensure that as rebel MPs are also moving from where they have been isolated as NRM members so that they move from isolation to cooperation.
A number of NRM MPs have since been labelled rebels for always standing against the party positions, these include; Barnabas Tinkasimire, Theodore Ssekikubo, Monica Amoding, Mbwatekamwa Gafa, Patrick Nsamba among others..
The current law, the Parliamentary Elections Act bars members from switching allegiance before one year to the new elections calendar.
However he is the not the first person to come out publicly and announce as he is leaving his party. Last week the former Resident City Commissioner Aisha Kabanda also announced as she had left the NRM party to join JEEMA party in order to seek a ticket to contest as a Woman Member of Parliament for Butambala constituency.
Story by Nathan Mboowa
