KAYUNGA-UGANDA/NEWSDAY: National Unity Platform (NUP) has vowed to defy a decision by Kayunga resident district commissioner Ssempala Kigozi to block party president Robert Kyagulanyi Ssentamu from campaigning for Harriet Nakweede in Kayunga.
Kyagulanyi is expected to join Nakweede on her last campaign rally for the Kayunga LC V by-election. Although the open campaigns are scheduled to close tomorrow Tuesday, Kigozi has since informed Nakweede that the district security committee has resolved to stop her final campaign rally once she invites Kyagulanyi.
The security and state interest in such a district election seat is unprecedented. Kigozi said they expected Kyagulanyi in Kayunga last week and they can’t allow him in the area this week given the presence of President Yoweri Museveni.
The president is expected in Kayunga this week to drum up support for the ruling party NRM candidate, Andrew Muwonge as well as meet district party leaders and security committee ahead of the by-elections on December 16.
Nakweede says the RDC’s ‘orders’ contradict the harmonized campaign program agreed upon with the Electoral Commission. She says that the decision to allow Museveni to canvas support for her NRM rival and block Kyagulanyi from doing the same for her is unfair.
Nakweede is supposed to hold her final campaign rally in Kayunga town council while the NRM candidate is supposed to campaign in Kayonza sub-county.
Shamim Malende, the Kampala Woman MP, who was the special campaigner for Nakweede on Sunday described the RDC’s directive as a sign of cowardice and low self-esteem. She, however, notes that whether Kyagulanyi campaigns in Kayunga or not, people have already embraced change.
“They know that he’s a very strong man and they know that people love him and they see that people are already showing their support even before Kyagulanyi comes…they are just trying to stand on his rights but we’re saying come rain, come shine Robert Kyagulanyi Ssentamu is going to be in Kayunga because he has a right like any other individual to canvass votes for any candidate of his choice,” Malende said.
Ssempala insists that they notified Nakweede early enough that Kyagulanyi would not be allowed on the final campaigning day and advised her to invite him on any other day but she ignored their advice.
“We actually agreed that Kyagulanyi should come on days that don’t exceed Sunday. We don’t want him even if it is Monday and Tuesday, the president will be moving meeting various categories of people,” Ssempala noted.
Kayunga district interim LC V chairperson, Joel Kayiira has blamed EC for remaining silent as the security committee creates new guidelines contradicting the harmonized campaign program. Jenipher Komutungi, the Kayunga district Electoral Commission returning officer, says that they issued guidelines to all responsible parties and haven’t received any complaint from any of them.
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