Church leader opposes Museveni sole candidature

Just recently, NRM officials endorsed President Museveni for both state and party leadership up to 2021 and beyond.

A Church leaders has criticized the National Resistance Movement (NRM) members of parliament who endorsed the party’s central executive committee (CEC) resolution to have President Yoweri Kaguta Museveni as their sole candidate in the 2021 general elections.

Addressing a press conference in Kabale this week, Fr Gaetano Batanyenda who is one of the longest serving clerics in Kabale diocese said some NRM party members “are like Judas Iscariot in the Bible that betrayed his master Jesus Christ after receiving money from those that were against him.”

Fr Batanyenda said by passing such resolutions, the MPs “are betraying Ugandans by denying them a chance to lead their country.”

“NRM MPs passing sole candidature is properly understood because it’s like baboons meeting to save a forest where they earn their livelihood from community members that plan to cut it down to save their crops from destruction,” Batanyenda, who is chairperson for the Inter- Religious Council in Kigezi, stated.

Responding to Fr Batanyenda’s remarks, the NRM communications officer, Mr Rogers Mulindwa claimed people outside the NRM party should not be concerned about their resolutions.

Mr Mulindwa told a local news daily religious leaders should accept to take lessons on politics from politicians as they also take lectures from religious leaders on religious matters. 

“The resolutions being made here shall be further discussed at district conferences scheduled for April this year, then NEC and the national delegates conference,” Mr Mulindwa said.

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