By KT Reporter
The Parliamentary candidates for National Resistance Movement tickets and security officers in Luwero district have disagreed over a ban on gangs during their campaigns.
The National Resistance Movement party has nominated 14 candidates to contest for the tickets for three constituencies and the district woman MP seat. The candidates include Cissy Mulondo, Faridah Nakalawa, Agnes Kirabo Nantongo and Jackline Suubi for the Woman MP ticket.
Others are Ronald Ndawula, Gaddafi Nasur and Paul Michael Bukenya for the Katikamu North MP NRM ticket. The Party also nominated Ali Ndawula Ssekyanzi, Elizabeth Anyine Elizabeth for the Bamunanika County NRM ticket.
For the Katikamu South MP Seat, the NRM nominated Patricia Magara, Abubaker Kalume, Marvin Mugisha and Sulait Nsubuga to contest for the flag.
On Thursday, the NRM District Registrar, David Kamugisha, invited the candidates to harmonise their joint campaign programme and emphasise their adherence to party rules.
Kamugisha emphasised that all rallies will be held jointly at agreed rallies and that each will be supervised by sub sub-county registrar to ensure the guidelines are adhered to.
Kamugisha also warned candidates against moving with gangs locally known as ‘egaali’, saying these are always infiltrated by criminals and cause havoc in the communities, hence making the party less popular.
Kamugisha said that any candidate who violates the party guidelines will be summoned by the disciplinary committee or expelled from the primaries.
Richard Bwabye, the Luwero Resident District Commissioner, said that they have already received information that some candidates intend to hire gangs from Kampala city and transport them to campaign venues in the district.
Bwabye said that the Police are on alert to arrest them because they are likely to cause chaos and engage in other criminal acts.
Brighton Ahimbisamukama, the Luwero District Police Commander, said apart from engaging in criminal acts, such gangs may also block traffic during campaigns through engaging in unlawful procession.
Ahimbisamukama said that they are ready to ensure compliance with NRM guidelines and state laws.
The candidates unanimously agreed to hold joint campaigns but disagreed with NRM and security officials on banning the gangs accompanying them during the rallies.
Marvin Mugisha, the MP candidate for Katikamu South NRM ticket, told the security officials that the gangs are a mobilisation tool and have recruited several youths to accompany him across all rallies.
Mugisha asked the security chiefs to deploy heavily on all campaign venues to guard them rather than banning the groups from the mobilisation.
Mugisha said that opposition candidates partly influence voters through such gangs, and they have no choice but to embrace the practice.
Ronald Ndawula, the candidate for the Katikamu North MP NRM ticket, said that gangs are inevitable during recent campaigns because they create excitement and influence supporters to attend rallies.
Ali Ssekyanzi Ndawula, the candidate for Bamunanika County NRM ticket, said that with or without their will, supporters are ready to create groups to accompany them throughout the joint rallies.
Ssekyanzi said they will only ensure the groups abide by the rules, but they can’t disband them.
However, another candidate for the Katikamu South MP flag, Abubaker Kalume, warned that he will opt out of the joint campaigns if the Police fail to block his rivals from moving with gangs and guns.
Kalume said that there are fears that the joint campaigns may turn chaotic because a candidate in the Katikamu South MP race has armed herself and hired gangs to accompany her to disrupt rallies.
It remains to be seen whether the Police will enforce the ban or leave the candidates to move with the gangs despite the criminality that is associated with them.
According to the revised NRM Road map, the election of NRM flagbearers will take place on 17th July 2025-URN. Give us feedback on this story through our email: kamwokyatimes@gmail.com
