National Resistance Movement (NRM) coordinators from the three districts that make up Sebei Sub-region convened in Kapchorwa on September 08 for an orientation and training exercise to kick start their mobilization for President Museveni’s presidential re-election in 2021.
Invited were regional and District Coordinators, members of the Women Councils while security officials from the various security organs in the area attended as observers.
Stephen Ssewava, the National Communications Assistant in the Office of the National Chairman (ONC) tipped Coordinators on the role for which they were appointed and the challenges ahead.
Among others, the new force will be tasked to promote the four core principles of the party: patriotism, Pan Africanism, Democracy and Social transformation.
They will also promote and market party presidential flag bearers’ initiatives, remind Ugandans of their Civic duty to build the nation and maintain peace and stability, mobilize citizens to participate in government programs, as well as updating the population on progressive party decisions.
Kween Resident District Commissioner (RDC) Denis Ephraim Balwanirawa highlighted the commendable development efforts of the Government. He urged coordinators to emphasize these in their mobilisation activities.
He, for instance, pointed out the Ngenge Irrigation Project which is 99 per cent complete. The other one Atari will soon commence after it was delayed by the Covid19 pandemic.
Hajjat Faridah Kibowa, the chairperson of the NRM Women’s Council, noted that even though it’s publicly known that Sebei is an NRM stronghold, this shouldn’t be taken for granted, hence the need to boost mobilization efforts to consolidate the party’s dominance in the subregion.
Presidential Personal Assistant Milly Babirye Babalanda, who was the key note speaker for the day, clarified on the perceived public confusion on the jurisdictions of her office and the Kyadondo-based Party Secretariat of Kasule Lumumba.
Ms Babalanda said the two were actually a team only that the one she heads will be charged will the role of mobilising for only the Presidential Candidate, while the Secretariat will be charged with all the elections of party flag bearers at all levels.
She, however, emphasized that whoever is recruited to mobilize for the President will entirely stick to the role without getting involved in campaigns for any other candidate at any other level.
The staunch Museveni supporter and enthusiastic mobilizer further noted that the team of mobilizers commissioned is a conduit for the implementation of the village-based campaign model where nationwide movement for Presidential candidates will be limited due to the Coronavirus pandemic which has necessitated a door-to-door campaign model for the party flag bearer.
In his message read by Babalanda, President Museveni hailed the region for their loyalty to the NRM party and also commended their efforts in resisting subversion in the area which had been mobilised by army deserter Julius Chelimo.
By cooperating with security to resist this rebellion, Museveni continued, Sebei had managed to save the region from an unnecessary bloodbath.
ONC had flagged of this exercise at the start of the year only to be halted due to the outbreak of Covid19 in March.
The National Chairman’s Office resumed later last month, covering the metropolitan districts of Kampala, Mukono and Wakiso before proceeding to Mbale early last week. More orientation meetings will continue across different regions.