Justine Kasule Lumumba, the National Resistance Movement-NRM Party Secretary General, says there are no discussions in the party on who should succeed President Yoweri Museveni as the party presidential candidate in the 2021 election. She says the NRM Central Executive Committee-CEC; the top party organ has never discussed succession. Lumumba made the clear-cut statement while […]
Justine Kasule Lumumba, the National Resistance Movement-NRM Party Secretary General, says there are no discussions in the party on who should succeed President Yoweri Museveni as the party presidential candidate in the 2021 election.
She says the NRM Central Executive Committee-CEC; the top party organ has never discussed succession. Lumumba made the clear-cut statement while responding to questions from journalists at the party headquarters at Plot 10, Kyadondo Road in Nakasero on Wednesday.
She was unveiling the NRM party road map ahead of the 2021 presidential elections. Museveni has been NRM’s presidential candidate since 1996. This was the first election held under the NRM regime, which captured power in 1996.
Felix Okot Ogong, the Dokolo South MP is the only party member who has ever challenged Museveni for the NRM flag when he stood against him in 2005.
The amendment of the constitution scrapping the presidential age limit in 2017 sent a clear signal that Museveni will be in the race in 2021. Museveni will have clocked 75 years, the ceiling for presidential aspirants, in September 2019. The amendment famously known as age limit amendment has been subject of litigation in both the Constitutional and Supreme Courts.
Lumumba, however, emphasized that the NRM constitution stipulates how the party candidate is elected. She said all interested candidates will be welcome in 2021 if they meet required qualifications.
According to the road map, the period between January to February 2019 has been designated for mobilizing all Ugandans to register with NIRA and get IDs.
In May this year NRM Caucus will expedite the enactment of enabling laws and creation of more constituencies, while in April there will be compilation of the NRM membership register.
Key activities in 2020 include parliamentary party primaries that are scheduled for May followed by an elective National conference in June, while presentation of the NRM presidential candidate to electoral commission will take place on 21st August 2020.
While releasing this road map, the party secretary general Justine Lumumba said that all necessary arrangements are ready to handle all campaigns and other auxiliary activities in the build up to the general election 2021.
