By Homeland Special Correspondent
The news of the Appointment of Ms Medina Naham, the NRM party Chairperson of Koboko, as the new Director of Finance and Administration to replace Dr Hassan Zubair Galiwango at the party Secretariat, did not please a section of youth in Mbale, who accused Lydia Wanyoto, the NRM National Women’s League Chairperson for plotting his downfall.
Dr Galiwango’s position is among the four that were shaken by the NRM National Chairperson during the weekend. In other positions, Mr Yoweri Museveni appointed Jacqueline Kyatuheire, as the new Deputy National Treasury, Mathias Kasamba as the Director Mobilisation and Emmanuel Dombo as the Director Information and Publicity.
Dr Galiwango is the husband of the current Mbale Woman Member of Parliament, Ms Connie Nakayenze Galiwango, while Ms Wanyoto is a widow of the late Dr Shinyabulo Mutende, the former State Minister of Industry, who died in October 2015.
Tension between the supporters of Ms Wanyoto and Ms Nakayenze started in 2016, when Ms Nakayenze defeated Ms Wanyoto during the 2016 NRM primaries which helped her to win the Mbale Woman MP seat for the second time.
Led by Mr Abdallah Magambo, the Mbale District self-proclaimed People Power Mobiliser, the youths accused Ms Wanyoto to have planned this plot long time ago,”This move was hatched by Lydia Wanyoto and executed by her allies in the NRM CEC meeting today where Lydia Wanyoto is a member.
This was because of the increasing dominance and influence of Dr Hassan Galiwango in the politics of Bugisu, he helped people who wanted help, he cared, he educated people, gave people bursaries who could not afford school fees. This is the reason why people want him, why they associate with him because he understands them too,” Magambo said
Mr Magambo says that the plots started when Dr Galiwango started to be linked to former Prime Minister, John Patrick Amama Mbabazi’s camp.
“Investigations after investigations cleared him. They published his school in the news papers that he had stolen NRM money to build it, they investigated it and he was cleared too.
Then came the issue of Age Limit Article 102, according to NRM, Hon Connie Galiwango being Dr Hassan Galiwango’s wife was implied to vote Yes and not according to the will of the people of Mbale who sent her to represent them in parliament. They think he should have stopped her from voting No,” Magambo added.
After Ms Wanyoto’s declaration of her intention of running for Mbale Woman MP seat in 2021, tension has again been arosed,
“But Lydia Wanyoto why? Why would you get stuck on the skin of Dr Hassan Galiwango like that? I don’t think that this is how politics should be played. By spreading malice, denting Dr Galiwango’s name because you think it is the only opportunity for you to survive your political career. You are doomed. I pity you Lydia Wanyoto,” said Magambo
