Noah Olega Ashraf the Aringa County MP says the border closure has affected business between Uganda and Rwanda. He says that it has taken the Government long to explain the tension and what is being done to address it.
National Resistance Movement (NRM) party MPs want President
Museveni to explain the on-going tensions between Uganda and Rwanda.
The MPs on Wednesday set off for a one-week caucus retreat at the National
Leadership Institute Kyankwanzi district, where the party will assess their performance
since 2016.
Noah Olega Ashraf the Aringa County MP says the border closure has
affected business between Uganda and Rwanda. He says that it has taken the Government
long to explain the tension and what is being done to address it.
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Rehema Watongola, the Kamuli Municipality
MP says although the tensions between the two countries was included in the
program for the retreat, they expect the President to inform the MPs about the
current situation.
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Alex Ruhunda, the MP Fort Portal Municipality MP says President
Museveni should meet his Rwandan counterpart and resolve the matter. He says Ugandan
businesses have been hurt by the closure.
Last month, Rwanda strongly advised Rwandan nationals to desist
from crossing into Uganda.
Rwanda’s Foreign Affairs Minister Richard Sezibera accused Uganda
of alleged support to dissidents planning to destabilise Rwanda.
Other MPs want the retreat to focus on the economy, recent top
party organ resolutions and measures to resolve rampant land disputes.
Kassanda South MP, Simeo Nsubuga revealed
that they were going to receive a report of resolutions made by the recent
party Central Executive Committee (CEC) at Chobe Safari Lodge.
He said that MPs will be expected to discuss the CEC resolutions
and come up with their resolutions.
Nsubuga said that he will support the CEC resolutions which among
others included the endorsement of President Museveni as the party’s candidate
in the 2021 polls and lining up in the party’s internal elections.
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Ruhinda County MP, Dononzio Kahonda said that the retreat is timely given
that the 2021 election road map is already released. He says that there is need
for the party to prepare itself for the general election.
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However, Dokolo South MP Felix Okot Ogong said that it is wrong for
the NRM parliamentary caucus to endorse a presidential candidate for the 2021
election since the decision is supposed to be taken by all party members.
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Independent Nwoya Woman MP, Lilly Adong who has been invited for
the retreat said that she will address the matter of rampant grabbing in her
region to seek solutions on the matter.
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Kumi County MP, Charles Illukor said that it was important for the
caucus retreat to come up with measures on how decisions made by government are
implemented to ensure service delivery.
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Isingiro County South MP, Alex Byarugaba said that he expects the
retreat to assess the party’s performance in regards to the different pledges
made to Ugandans in the past.
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According to the NRM Parliamentary Caucus Spokesperson, Margaret
Muhanga, MPs including Kasambya County’s Gaffa Mbwatekamwa, Patrick Oshabe for Kassanda North, Buyaga West’s Barnabas
Tinkasimiire, Kumi Woman MP Monica Amoding, John Baptist Nambeshe for Manjiya
County and Lwemiyaga County legislator Theodore Ssekikubo are not invited for
the retreat since they are no longer loyal to the party.
Olive Nakatudde
Alex Otto
Freelancer
