The ruling National Resistance Movement (NRM) party has signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with the newly-sworn Serere County MP, Mr Emmanuel Omoding.
Among other things, Mr Omoding March 2 agreed to side with the party in all its proceedings, including the implementation of the NRM manifesto.
Mr Omoding was declared Serere MP by the electoral commission after defeating 4 other rivals including NRM’s Phillip Oucor and Ms Alice Alaso of ANT during the February 2023 intensely contested Serere by-election.
The poll followed the death of former county legislator Mr Patrick Okabe who passed away together with his wife in a fatal accident along Mbale-Tirinyi Road in December 2022.
Presenting the new legislator before the NRM party secretary general, government chief whip Hamson Obua said Mr Omoding willingly decided to work with NRM.
“I present to you the newest MP who has wholeheartedly accepted to associate with the NRM under the NRM constitution while serving his people of Serere,” Mr Obua said during the MoU signing ceremony at the NRM party secretariat in Kampala.
“We believe this is an addition to the NRM parliamentary caucus, not as a member but through exercising his constitutional rights of associating with the party. He is ready to go through the party rituals that will enable him to officially associate with the NRM.” Mr Obua emphasized.
The NRM secretary general, Mr Richard Todwong said: “By signing the MoU, Mr Omoding confirms that he will associate with the party and engage in its activities.”
Mr Omoding who took a parliamentary oath on Tuesday applauded the party for welcoming him as “an independent MP who is willing to work with the party structures for the good of Serere County.”
“Am happy that I will be working with NRM to serve the people of Serere to ensure that their dreams are met. My father was an independent but, he worked for the NRM and all I can say- like father, like son,” he said.
According to him, “being NRM leaning has not started today.”
“If you followed our campaigns, we were using the yellow colour and most of the people in our camp were in the NRM structures although there were some issues but we were all NRM,” Mr Omoding remarked.
The MoU
Part of the MoU reads: “This document constitutes an agreement between the NRM and Mr Emmanuel Omoding to collaborate on issues which may be raised on the floor of Parliament, implementation of the 2021-2026 NRM manifesto and joint follow up on Kyankwanzi resolutions May 2021.”
Last month, Ms Sylvia Cheptegei Nangendo, the Serere District returning officer, declared Mr Omoding the winner with 15,638 votes, while his closest rival, Mr Phillip Oucor of NRM, got 13,206 votes. Mr Omoding replaced his late father, Mr Patrick Okabe.
Additional Reporting: DAILY MONITOR