No giving Museveni petitions at NRM Day celebrations, says minister

Minister for presidency Milly Babalanda has said no petitions will be delivered to President Museveni during the 38^th National Resistance Movement (NRM) anniversary on Friday.

The annual event, to be held at St John Secondary School, Wakitaka in Jinja Northern City Division, marks 38 years since President Muiseveni captured power after a guerrilla war.

The last of such celebrations in Busoga Sub-region were held in Mayuge District in 2014 as the ruling party marked 28 years in power. Last year’s event was held in Kakumiro District.

Meeting leaders from the twelve Districts of Busoga Sub-region, Babalanda directed whoever has a petition to hand it over to the Jinja Resident District Commissioner (RDC) Richard Gulume.

“On that day, nobody will be allowed to make individual demands to the President. All those with petitions should instead hand them over to Gulume so that I take them to the president in advance,’’ Babalanda said on Saturday.

Her directive follows a demand by several leaders to be given chance to address issues in their respective districts to Museveni before he presides the celebration.

But Babalanda held that “because the function is national in character, the president may not be able to give spontaneous answers at the venue.”

According to Babalanda, prior delivery of petitions to the president “will help him internalise and make pronouncements on as he makes his speech.”

The minister further asked the leaders to mobilise people to turn up in big numbers and erode the president’s dismal performance in the region during the 2021 general elections.

The NRM presidential candidate only won in three of the 12 districts of Busoga Sub-region while opposition National Unity Platform (NUP) flag bearer Robert Kyagulanyi Ssentamu alias Bobi Wine was victorious in the rest.

Kaliro District LC5 chairperson Elijah Kagoda believes Museveni could consider holding national celebrations in the districts of Kaliro, Buyende and Namutumba where he has more support “to act as a motivation.”

Jinja City Mayor Peter Kasolo, who belongs to NUP, has asked people to put aside their political prejudices and support the January 26 function.

However, Jinja City Deputy Speaker Sirina Kyakuwaire described as “an act of unfairness for people to be denied the chance to interact with President Museveni face-to-face.”

The Jinja City NRM Executive led by Dan Musinguzi says it has not been involved in the organisation of the function yet they are the host.

The Musinguzi-led team accused some Jinja District and NRM party officials of allegedly “monopolizing” the function, which they say is outside their area of jurisdiction.