Makerere Students refuse to endorse Museveni sole candidature

No Mugaati, Makerere Students refuse to endorse Museveni sole candidature

By Davidson Ndyabahika and John Blanshe Musinguzi

MAKERERE: While attending the General Assembly on 13^th May 2014, at the University Freedom Square, Makerere university students who had attended in overwhelming numbers reportedly due the text messages that filled the students’ phone inboxes the previous night that carried headline “#NRM CASH BONANZA FOR MUSEVENI SOLE CANDIDATURE” went back frustrated when they did not receive any thing in return.

The assembly began with some sections of the youth with mixed opinions about the current crisis entangling NRM as they waited for the guest speaker.

The party crisis entails allegations the Amama Mbabazi is nurturing presidential ambitions come 2016. Amama Mbabazi doubles as the party’s General Secretary and Prime Minister.

 However these were silenced on grounds that it would be working towards the disunity and togetherness of the Party and that someone contesting would compel the party to disarray that would allow room for opposition to gain popularity among the masses.

The assembly had attracted a number of students from various political parties like the Forum for Democratic Change (FDC), Democratic Party (DP) and others. Among the notables from opposition party members who were in attendance was Rt. Hon. Chark Benson the Guild Speaker to the 80^th parliament and a member of FDC and Niwabimpa Amon, current chairperson FDC Makerere chapter, Tushabe Muhairwe Mwanaweka Edgar, former FDC Makerere chapter chairperson, Atuhaire Brian "unstoppable", former General Secretary.

NRM loyalists accused opposition members of greed and that they had come to look for soda.

Singh beg students to support sole candidature

Mr. Singh Katongole who was the chief guest confessed he was in full support of the Popular Kyankwanzi resolution for president Museveni sole candidature come 2016. In his speech, Mr Katongole praised Mr. Museveni for the security, professionalism of army and police, education, East African Community and above all hosting the 2007 CHOGM.

“... because of the good security, Mr. Museveni enabled Uganda to host the queen of England for CHOGM in 2007 and many things are going to be achieved for Uganda.”

To justify his reason to support the sole candidature, Mr. Singh added that more investors are coming to Uganda because of favourable investment conditions created by Museveni.

  “... Investors are asking Museveni, are you coming back in 2016 so that we can invest more?” he said.

Endorsement fails

While most of the students who had turned up for the general assembly were anticipating to receive the purported facilitation (Mugaati), they lost patience at the last minute when Katongole finished speaking and in his vocabulary missed a word “facilitation- transport and water”.

Students who were angered started firing questions at the NRM boss why they insist on giving money to people to support sole candidature. 

In his response, Katongole said that they (NRM) are not selling the sole candidature of president Museveni but giving facilitation allowance to supporters who come from far for meetings.

However, he later said he had not prepared facilitation for students but promised to bring it (money) together with the NRM t-shirts and caps for students.

“I did not prepare adequately, the next time I come I make sure you are facilitated with transport,” Mr. Singh Katongole said.

Students respond

Alex Kwesiga a student of Bcom External said that they cannot support sole candidature when they are hungry. “We are aware that other people have received money to support the resolution of sole candidature of Museveni and we know ours is there. Let them bring it before we say yes.”

“We are so disappointed that for a whole party which has been in power for 28 years, a National Treasurer came here without Mugati for us. We are totally disappointed. No Mugati, no vote for Museveni” said Godfrey Ssali a second year student of Journalism and Communication.

“It was a shadow event indeed. They are best in failing their promises and disguising intentions. I fear dinning with someone about to be condemned, no one will see it coming, and every big snake will swallow itself,” said Jak Nam president of African Students Association Makerere.