Over 93 members of a notorious Opposition pressure group in Gulu ode named “Kalang” comprising of Boda-Boda men operators and Business women last week defected to the National Resistance Movement (NRM).
They announced their defection on Sunday evening from Golden Inn hotel in Pece division, Gulu municipality saying there was no need to cooperate with opposition because all along they have been supporting people who forget about them as soon as elections are over.
The group said they have fully supported Aswa Mp Okumu Reagan, Norbert Mao and Gulu municipality MP Acire Christopher among other opposition members who make it to elective position but they are mostly given booze as a reward.
“We are tired. We have seen it all with the opposition, they are just lying us. We think members of the NRM will welcome us well so that we lead more people to the party. We are ready to support President Yoweri Museveni because since Multi-Party started we have seen no change and we don’t expect it either in 2016,” Mr Otim Nicolas, the chairperson of the group said during the gathering.
Mr Komakech Simon Peter, Gulu NRM administrative secretary while welcoming the group said, “You should know that you will all be registered and have voting power in the upcoming NRM primary elections and in case you are intimidated by any old member in the NRM, report the matter to my office. I expect you however, to work hard so that NRM sweeps Acholi sub region in 2016.”
Ms Santa Oketta, the LCV councilor Bardege and the assistant special presidential advisor for Northern Uganda told the meeting that she earlier worked with the opposition group when she was in Forum for Democratic Change (FDC) and feels very happy to see them come to NRM.
Mr Okumu Regan, the Aswa county Member of Parliament said that he believes defection is a right of anybody but to the best of his knowledge, most people are defecting to NRM because of hard economic times created by the government.
‘I have no problem with people who defect to NRM because I know conditions force them to announce but deep in their hearts they will vote opposition because that is where they belong,” Mr Okumu said.
4 Comments
“Since multi-party started we have seen no change and we do not expect it either in 2016”. Therefore, they crossed to NRM to continue to have no change. What on earth is the logic of such a move. Of course, if you do not want change, that is a different matter, but if you want change, you cannot give up struggling for it no matter how difficult or long it may be. Think of the enslaved Africans who were taken to America. They have been fighting for change for over 400 years and they are still fighting for it. With time, some significant change has come to them. That is the way it should be. Struggle to achieve what is right no matter how hard or how long it may take.
No single leader lives forever. Even our life president was forced to leave long before he was called to meet his creator. Gadaffi, Mbarack, Mobuto, etc. all left when their times were up. However, they did not leave voluntarily. Likewise, Museveni has not left voluntarily when his legally expected times were up. People must continue to work to make him leave whether he like it or not. So, it is short sighted to think that the universe will always revolve around one leader.
As for change, Museveni has been president for nearly 30 years, would it not be logical to ask why change has not come to northern Uganda where poverty is higher than anywhere else in the country, school performance is lowest, percentage of government employees is the lowest, roads are the worst, etc etc. The government is supposed to serve all citizens equitably. Should they not be asking why not the people of northern Uganda. The country is not a personal property of the president or the NRM party to dish out national resources only to party members. What of people who choose not to belong to any political party? Since they also contribute to the national cake, don’t they deserve a piece of it?
If crossing to NRM is a matter of getting some kitu kidogo in brown envelops at political meetings, evidence suggest that the party provides for it and one can understand it because life has been and will continue to be hard if there is no change in 2016. However, politically speaking, the rationale given for crossing to NRM makes no sense at all.
Owino you’ve said it all. Defecting to another party is not a crime but, when one claimed that they have not experienced any change in their lives then that’s a question. What these narrow minded small group of Acholi people expecting are the brown envelopes being issued by NRM. Right under their nose Acholiland have been destroyed by the so-called NRM they now claim will support them, no education, national health service is in tartar nationwide, no proper roads and all they want is the brown envelopes to line their pocket despite their children dying right under their nose! what a sad live. For a good 30yrs NRM have destroyed Acholiland and still continue and here are lunatic small group of Acholi people who now think NRM is the one to bring change and support when they are surrounded with graveyard of NRM doing. I cannot say any more.
EAT with your STOMACHS vote with your eyes open and your BRAINS