NRM Rebel Legislators drag CEC to court over Museveni’s candidature for 2021

A section of NRM Liberal Members of Parliament commonly referred to as (Rebel MPs) have dragged their party to the Constitutional court seeking to declare as null and void a resolution by the Central Executive Committee (CEC) to declare president Museveni as a sole candidate for the 2021 presidential elections and beyond. The NRM legislators were led by Lwemiyaga MP, Theodore Ssekikubo contend that the act of CEC declaring Museveni as a sole candidate on February 19, 2019, in its four day retreat at Chobe Safari Lodge in Nwoya blocked and suffocated interests of others would be individuals in the party who have aspirations to become presidential candidates to contest for the 2021 elections. Others are; Barnabas Tinkasiimiire, Mbwatekamwa Gaffa, Monicah Amonding, John Baptist Nambeshe, Patrick Nsamba, Samuel Lyomoki, Sylvia Akello, Susan Amero, James Acidri and Moses Adome Bildard. The group also claim that CEC had no mandate to declare Museveni as a presidential candidate for the 2021 elections in the middle of this term (2016-2020) because it’s (CEC) five-year tenure of office is due to expire in July 2020 and therefore have no business in the next coming elections. They contend that instead grass root elections within the party had to be conducted from which CEC would recommend the successful candidates to the National delegates conference. The MPs further want the court to intervene in the internal governance of their party which they contend is not Democratic toll because their party’s Secretary General Kasule Lumumba unfairly blocked them from participating in the parliamentary caucus retreat at Kyankwazi where the sole candidature resolution was adopted. They have now petitioned Constitutional Court to declare as unconstitutional all the CEC resolutions and pay them costs for this petition that they have filed through three law firms of Caleb Alaka, Wilfred Nuwagaba and Baririre Muhangi and company advocates. These have also paid the statutory required Shs200, 000 as security in the court. This is the second time the NRM party is dragged to court over declaring president Museveni as a sole presidential Candidate for his party the first time being a supporter Benjamin Alipanga. However, Alipanga withdrew his petition in 2017after it had been overtaken by events. The court is yet to summon NRM party for a response.