With the Independent Electoral Commission (IEC) setting nomination timelines for local councils, parliamentary and presidential candidates starting next week, voters now accustomed to the culture of bribes and political freebies, are at the frontline urging or gang pressing candidates who skipped or lost in party primaries to turn up as independent candidates in the general elections.

In the aftermath of last week’s NRM primaries to elect flag-bearers countrywide to contest with candidates from other parties for the eleventh parliament most commentators including those from NRM have regrettably focused more on the few high-profile incidences of rogue behaviour than the massive successes registered. It was heart-warming to see real democracy in practice as local people in open not lining behind ‘powerful’ ministers and MPs, and knowing nothing adverse would happen to them afterwards. 

In the past one month, the NRM has dominated news media and public discourse, mostly for very good reasons with its preparations for the nomination of the flag-bearers for president, parliament, district local government chairpersons and councilors, setting the stage for elections that are now underway. After the nominations, NRM convened a virtual National Conference comprising over sixteen thousand delegates to elect Central Executive Committee (CEC) members, which by all accounts went successfully. 

The old adage, “the higher the monkey climbs, the more it exposes its bare behind,“ aptly holds for Col (rtd) Dr Warren Smith Kizza Besigye Kifefe, who last week in a dejected posture and tone announced that he had abandoned his quest to run for president of Uganda. Although the media has downplayed the reasons for Besigye’s decision, surely after four knockdowns in a row, one has to be very courageous to continue a journey. Besigye had since 2001 billed his contests as high-stakes against President Yoweri Museveni.

On Tuesday this week, President Yoweri Kaguta Museveni received a unanimous endorsement within the NRM as its national Chairperson, and presidential candidate, in the forthcoming general elections slated for January 2021. He is holding this mantle for the fifth round and although still early, it is apparent that his road is well-paved. The stiff challenge that had been promised by the collective opposition has flattened and spattered. But well, NRM should not under estimating its competitors and the national tasks ahead.

On Tuesday this week, President Yoweri Kaguta Museveni received a unanimous endorsement within the NRM as its national Chairperson, and presidential candidate, in the forthcoming general elections slated for January 2021. He is holding this mantle for the fifth round and although still early, it is apparent that his road is well-paved. The stiff challenge that had been promised by the collective opposition has flattened and spattered. But well, NRM should not under estimating its competitors and the national tasks ahead.

In the last four months of COVID-19 pandemic, President Yoweri Museveni has caused shake up in important government institutions because of negligence, disobedience, incompetence, connivance and alleged corruption. These institutions are the Uganda Revenue Authority (URA), Office of the Prime Minister (OPM), National Identification and Registration Authority (NIRA) and Independent Electoral Commission (IEC).

Health minister Jane Ruth Aceng who for the last four months valiantly led Uganda against the COVID19 pandemic with no death so far, successful recoveries, limited and now declining trends in overall infection, early this week fell on an own sword caught off guard without face mask on at a public gathering. And although she publicly regretted the incident, the fickle opposition has tried in futility to bay for her blood.

As the 2021 general elections draw ever closer, the fickle opposition political groups are finding themselves between self generated rocks and hard places on whether to participate. In all previous elections opposition groups have squabbled over whether the elections would be free and fair, and often tried to demobilise their supporters in pre-election activities like voter registration.

Tuesday this week government inaugurated seven new ‘cities’ by elevating former municipalities of Arua, Gulu, Mbale, Jinja, Masaka, Mbarara, and Fort Portal to city status, with the objective that physical planning, implementation of activities and general administration will be better. The last, Fort Portal, named after a British colonial army officer, deserve change of name. The designation of cities should therefore be welcome as acknowledgement of their achievements and providing impetus for higher ambitions.