The National Resistance Movement – NRM Party Director for Mobilisation Rose Mary Sseninde on Saturday evening was made to beg the NRM Structure Leaders in Serere to support and Campaign for the party’s Flag bearer Philip Oucor over Emmanuel Omoding (Independent) Son of Late MP Patrick Okabe.
Sseninde together with NRM’s Director of Communication Emmanuel Dombo are in Serere to gauge the ground and on fact finding mission why the grassroot leaders are not supporting the NRM Flag bearer.
In one of the meetings held at Serere District Headquarters, Mrs. Sseninde tried to beg the voters to forgive the Flag bearer that she said is still a young man that needs more guidance.
“NRM has been destroying itself and we have been eating each other on the heads, that’s what has happened in the central region. The divisions in NRM is what is causing us all this problems,” said Sseninde.
“If you truly love NRM and President Museveni, I appeal and beg you to support our Flag bearer,” she added.
“We are all human beings and each one of us has a problem. Our Flag bearer may have stepped on Papa’s shoes or Mama’s shoes or may have annoyed somebody, I beg of you to forgive him. When the NRM Party comes we shall campaign for the Flag bearer but we have a big problem within us NRM. Remember after elections we are going to need one another, this world is so tiny. I also want to beg and kindly appeal of you to forgive Mr. Oucor whether we want him or not. I beg forgive him, find a heart to forgive him,” Sseninde appealed.
“Friends my humble appeal to you is pray for reconciliation even if you don’t like the candidate because the same candidate may come in a reformed way. My humble appeal if truly you love NRM and President Museveni let’s look for peace and we don’t have to fight each other so that we don’t give room to opposition to take the seat. Members let’s love NRM,” she added.
Emmanuel Dombo while speaking to media after the meeting said that, the meetings are aimed at finding out the state of politics in Serere County while noting that the meetings are as a result of the current division within the party leaders.
He encouraged the people of Serere to avoid shading blood during the upcoming by-elections noting that the position of the party constitution is clear that a person elected as flag bearer holds the position for five years.
“We have a problem in NRM, first of all our members here are quarreling against one another. Our structure leaders need to be trained into the leadership skills, they need to have in order to respect the party,” Dombo said.
Meanwhile the structure leaders refused to listen to Sseninde’s request noting that they have already decided to support the son to Late Patrick Okabe, Emmanuel Omoding.
They blame the Party Flag Bearer for working with opposition claiming that he has deployed the former FDC strongman (Dan Opolot) to be among the decision markers of his (Oucor’s) campaign taskforce.
They also claimed that the NRM primaries held in 2020 were not free and fair.
Amos Ochom the Vice Chairperson NRM Olio Sub County and Julius Etelu Otai who spoke on behalf of the structure leaders accussed the flag bearer for refusing to cooperate with the NRM structures from onset while saying that Flag bearer had vowed that he can win elections without the party Structures.
They revealed that as structure leaders they are only ready to mobilize for President Museveni, Woman Member of Parliament Hellen Adoa and Late Okabe’s Son.
“We the leaders of NRM shall not accept to be intimated or even being cornered to support Mr. Oucor. We already have a candidate and nothing can change our stand,” Ochom noted.
The NRM leaders have promised to contineously moblise for the son of the late Okabe, Omoding Emmanuel as a sign of solidarity and rebuilding the party in Serere.
Michael Olobo the NRM Chairperson Serere told the team that the political atmosphere in Serere is so tense and fragile and may subsquently affect the 2026 vote for the ruling party if the by-election is not handle with outmost care.
Late Okabe together with his wife Christine died on December 19, 2022 during a road accident.
Electoral Commission has set February 23, 2023 as polling day.