Opposition - NRM deal will unite Ugandans – Museveni

BY JESUS OKELLO OJARA                        & TOBBIAS JOLLY OWINY

President Museveni has expressed optimism that his government’s cooperation with the Opposition Uganda Peoples Congress (UPC) and the Democratic Party will help Uganda attain unity.

Mr Museveni, in a July 22 letter to the DP President and Justice Minister Norbert Mao, said Uganda has for many years lagged behind because of political divisions.

 “To contextualise the present co-operation between NRM and DP and also with the UPC and the individuals such as Mukyala Joyce Sebugwawo that used to be in FDC, you need to look at Uganda and Africa in the last 1,000 years,” he wrote.

“When we needed unity most to get and make a success of our independence, our leaders gave us political fragmentation; that is how none of those sectarian parties could win 50 percent vote in the 1962 elections,” Mr Museveni added.

The President wrote to Mr Mao on the occasion of what the DP leader described as his homecoming to Gulu City a year after he signed a cooperation agreement with the ruling NRM party before he was then appointed minister.

Mr Museveni further explained that all the political standoff  that descended on Uganda between 1962 and 1980 was on account of the mistakes made by leaders who could not work together.
 “The 1966 crisis, the Amin coup, the death of Mutesa in exile and the killings by Idi Amin, were all caused by this original mistake of rejecting unity and preferring fragmentation,” he said.

“Let all patriots, Pan-Africanists and democrats that want and understand the dynamics of social–economic transformation to build a modern Uganda and Africa, unite,” he added.

Whereas Mr Museveni acknowledged in the letter that there were quite several weaknesses in the NRM (party), including corruption, he said the partnership will help solve such challenges.
In a separate speech read by the NRM National Vice Chairman, Hajj Moses Kigongo, Mr Museveni urged the people to fight sectarian politics, which he said has caused untold suffering to the people of Acholi Sub-region.
 “Now, I congratulate both Norbert Mao and the DP, Honourable Jimmy Akena and the UPC to hope for cooperation with the NRM rather than the negative attitudes of some of the other actors. We must all work together; we must unite,” Mr Museveni noted.

In his maiden address to thousands of supporters and dignitaries who gathered for the event at Kaunda Grounds in Gulu City, Mr Mao stated that his party had surpassed all other political parties to work alongside the ruling NRM government.
 “Today, you are seeing a new Norbert Mao because I have balanced my books, looked at the assets and liabilities; and decided that Uganda needs a new beginning,” Mr Mao said.

“I have something useful to contribute, if others don’t appreciate it, at least President Museveni appreciates it and I think he has enough intelligence and judgment to decide that Norbert Mao can contribute,” Mr Mao added.
He also narrated how the cooperation journey started way back in 2021 after the General Election.

 “We started in 2021, for one year we were talking. I heard as he (Museveni) was singing a song to unite Ugandans, and to fight poverty. He was singing the song, calling for help from Mr Mao and other people from other regions and continued with the song; I knew it was time to come in,” Mr Mao said.

“I also managed to convince Mr Museveni to release those people who were detained during the 2021 General Election riots,” he added.
Mr Mao said the event was focused on uniting Ugandans with an emphasis on development.