The Ntungamo National Resistance Movement (NRM) party vice chairperson Mr Evans Asiimwe Rutahweire, who was contesting for the Kajara County MP seat, has withdrawn his candidature following a meeting with the First Lady, Ms Janet Museveni.
The move was possibly aimed at avoiding chaos during this Friday’s NRM primaries.
Rutahweire had been nominated to contest against the incumbent, Mr Michael Timuzigu Kamugisha, who fell out with party ranks after voting against the lifting of the age limit in 2017.
Wilberforce Mugyenyi, the party secretary general confirmed the meeting.
“The first lady who is also our party chairperson met some leaders and some candidates to eliminate rivalry in party primaries,” he said.
The Ntungamo district party registrar, Ms Maria Mirembe, confirmed the withdrawal of candidature of Mr Rutahweire and two others from the race.
In 2017, Timuzigu described the Constitution Amendment Bill on the age limit as a hot potato that could not be sold to the population.
Kamugisha, a member of the ruling National Resistance Movement (NRM), told journalists at Parliament on Wednesday, November 1, 2017 that the bill which sought to lift the presidential age limit cap prescribed in article 102(b) of the constitution was unpopular and that majority of the population had out-rightly rejected it.
“It is only when you gather about 100 people and give them money that they will pretend to support the bill,” he said.
Kamugisha joined a list of other NRM lawmakers including Soroti Woman MP Monica Amoding, Lwemiyaga County MP Theodore Ssekikuubo and Manjiya County’s John Baptist Nambeshe to reject their party position.
Source – chimpreports.com
