RUBANDA- National Resistance Movement (NRM) party leaders in Rubanda district on Tuesday evening clashed over facilitation cash towards boosting the party’s support and strength.
Through Secretary General, Justine Kasule Lumumba revealed, NRM party on 21st this month released shillings 60 billion to enable flag bearers canvas support ahead of 2021 general elections. The money is meant to facilitate procurement of campaign logistics and materials to support their respective campaign efforts.
According to guidelines, for each directly elected constituency the candidate is supposed to receive shillings 40million with shillings 20 million already remitted to the candidates while each district woman MP is to receive shillings 50 million with shillings 25 million already remitted to each candidate.
Each of the LC5chairman is to receive shillings 50 million, directly elected councilors shillings 1 million, Woman councilors at the division and city levels shillings 1.5 million municipal, city and division councilors shillings 500,000 while district councilors shillings 100,000 among others.
Henry Ariganyira Musasizi, Rubanda district NRM party chairman and incumbent Rubanda County East Member of Parliament invited all relevant party leaders at Volcano Hotel in Rubanda town council to give them money.
However, on reaching the Hotel, Musasizi openly told leaders that he will only give the money only those who supported him during primaries.
Musaisizi who is also the Rubanda County MP was backed by Henry Banyenzaki, State Minister for Economic Monitoring and the district party treasurer who said that there is no reason for people who did not support Musasizi during primaries to share on the money.
Musasizi ordered Dezi Christmas, the district party administrator to read the names of those not to get the money. Christmas read, Diaz Drakes Owoyesigyire, the councilor representing Hamuhambo town council, Aggrey Bandebaho, the Hamuhambo town council LC 3 chairman, and Windom Kahima Niwamanya, the Muyanje parish councilor in Bubare sub-county.
Musaizi said that there is no way how Owoyesigyire, Bandebaho and Niwamanya can share the money yet he is aware that they supported his main opponent, Kenneth Jogo Biryabarema during primaries on Rubanda County MP East seat and they still support him when he protested and contested as an independent candidate.
Owoyesigyire, Bandebaho, and Niwamanya protested Musasizi’s orders asking why he is not even explaining how much the district received. Musasizi ordered them out of the main hall as he makes more consultations.
The trio refused and Bandebaho closed the door to fight but was calmed down by Owoyesigyire. Bandebaho says that even after ordering them to e bout of the main hall, they were after told to go because there is no any single money for them.
Bandebaho says that they were told that there is no money to waste on people who don’t support Musasizi. Bandebaho says that they were told to take oath on how they will start supporting Musasizi with immediate effect but refused.
Owoyesigyire says that Musasizi and Christmas first told him to come alone the next day but on insisting he was told that there is no money for him until he supports Musasizi.
Owoyesigyire says that he cannot support Musasizi by force because he has also supported an independent candidate in 2017 and was not harassed.
Musasizi, who is running for the third term is facing stiff competition from Biryabarema, the Incumbent Rubanda district LC5 chairman.
Biryabarema decided to run as an independent accusing Musasizi of conniving with the Rubanda District NRM registrar, Aggrey Monday, Party administrator, Dezi Christmas and Gaudioza Kabondo, an official from the NRM Electoral Commission headquarters to still his victory in the primaries.
Musasizi in 2017 declined to support Biryabarema and instead fronted Stephen Kasyaba on an independent ticket.
President Yoweri Museveni invited Musasizi and Biryabarema to a rally in Bubaare sub-county to united them but Musasizi rejected the reconciliation saying that he has personal issues with Biryabarema.
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