Not all seems to be well in this camp. I even wonder if Kisamba Mugerwa's leaving was not just a tactical withdraw given some statements attributed to him earlier.
NRM-O sidelines Kigongo, Bidandi By Richard Mutumba July 26, 2004 KAMPALA � The Movement Organisation interim vice chairman, Mr Jaberi Bidandi Ssali has said he and the Acting Chairman Haji Moses Kigongo (centre), have been left out of the actual formation and running of the new party. Bidandi warned that conspiracy and cliques around the President would kill the organisation. �I can�t be party to these political manoeuvres. But this does not stop me from supporting President Yoweri Museveni,� Bidandi said yesterday. The former minister was yesterday featuring on 93.3 Monitor FM �Straight from the Heart� talk show hosted by Desree Barlow. He said some people around Museveni were telling him that when you put Bidandi at Block 10 Kyadondo Road, the NRM-O headquarters, he will end up doing his own things. �Many stories have been conjured about me. These young men are depicting us as enemies of the Movement. I cannot be party to this,� Bidandi said. �These young men have now decided to run the organisation with the help of the Uganda Young Movementists and the Boda-boda (cyclists). You cannot build a party using and manipulating the Boda-boda boys. This is dangerous for the Movement Organisation,� Bidandi said. Asked whether Museveni would stand again, Bidandi said, �I see Museveni as determined to stand in 2006. I however hope he will appreciate that it is not possible. Museveni should not be seen to be the one changing the principle of constitutionalism.� Bidandi said even if Museveni got a third term, he would not sustain it. �It will be very hard for him to convince the international community to support him and to contain the internal agitation,� he added. Bidandi said he would not support Museveni if he seeks another term in office. �I will not join any other political group. I will just go back to Kiwatule,� he added. He said any attempt to force Museveni back would cause chaos. He however, hastened to add that he would not mind if the President contested for NRM-O leadership. The NRM-O deputy chief said that unless the Constitution was amended from the Presidential to Parliamentary system (British or Indian), Museveni would not qualify to stand again. He said there were many other Ugandans capable of leading the country as well as Museveni has done. On the Reform Agenda / Pafo alliance, Bidandi said the move was very healthy. �However, I see incongruity in the team. I am worried that it may not be easy for them to come out with an agreeable leadership. But the attempt is very healthy for politics in this country,� Bidandi added. On the army, Bidandi said Museveni has helped to make the UPDF more of a national army. We can kick him out, says Ofwono By Richard Mutumba July 26, 2004 KAMPALA � The Movement Organisation will not hesitate to throw out the interim vice chairman, Mr Jaberi Bidandi Ssali if he continues making false and contradictory statements, the interim spokesperson, Mr Ofwono Opondo said yesterday. Ofwono was reacting to a statement by Bidandi that some young people around the President had sidelined him and Moses Kigongo from the formation and running of NRM-O. �Bidandi is not being honest to himself. He is a co-author to all the organisation�s documents and working plans. He is always at Block 10 Kyadondo Road. He was charged with drawing up of the organisation�s operational guidelines. It would therefore be wrong for him to claim that he has been sidelined,� Ofwono explained. The spokesperson said Bidandi is supposed to convene meetings of the various sections of the organisation, but has not done so. �Instead, he speaks at funerals and other funny functions. The Political Organisations Act demands total discipline, but Bidandi has chosen to ignore that,� Ofwono said. �We will not hesitate to throw him out of the organisation�s leadership if he continues making statements that are not in line with the NRMO,� Ofwono, who is also Director for Information and Public Relations at the Movement Secretariat, said. He said Bidandi was charged with mobilisation of resources since the organisation is private and cannot get State funding, but he has never raised a single coin. �The man is talking about presidential term limits, Constitution amendment, things that the organisation has never discussed. This is indiscipline,� Ofwono Opondo said. \\\\\\\"Always be a first rate version of yourself instead of a second rate version of someone else.\\\\\\\\\\\\\" Njoki Paul University of Pretoria -------------------------------------------- This service is hosted on the Infocom network http://www.infocom.co.ug
