REBELIOUS? Why Minister Anite Is Pinned on NRM Campaign Stuff Recovered at Opposition Offices

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State Minister for Privatization and investment, Hon. Anite Evelyn at a presser in March 2020.. (File Photo)

Koboko – Koboko Municipality National Resistance Movement (NRM) supporters have accused Investment state minister Evelyn Anite of diverting Party Campaign Materials to Opposition Honchos in the area for motives they demand investigations into.

There was Drama on Sunday when Police raided the offices of Koboko Municipality opposition politician Charles Yakani where they allegedly recovered NRM branding materials including T-shirts and other campaign materials, purportedly offered by Anite.

Yakani, an independent candidate for Koboko municipality parliamentary seat, was the Forum for Democratic Change (FDC) Flag bearer in 2011 and 2016 for the same.

It should be remembered that the Renewed Uganda pressure group under former security minister Lt Gen. Henry Tumukunde while launching its executive committee in August this year also appointed Yakani the Deputy Head Political Strategy.

Samuel Abwang, the Koboko District Police Commander (DPC) confirmed the Raid and arrest of Yakani following intelligence reports that T-shirts of the NRM flag bearer, HE Yoweri Museveni and other campaign materials were in possession of wrong elements.

The NRM Chairperson of Koboko District Lucy Afako asked for further Investigation into the matter wondering why the Investment Minister who doubles as a member of the Party Primaries losers Reconciliation Committee attempted to halt the Police search, a move she termed as injustice to the ruling party.

‘’As a District NRM Party Chairperson who believes that we also need justice especially now when the bigwigs are turning resources to opposition I had to intervene and halt Anite’s move when she intended to stop police from searching Yakani’s offices. This was unpatriotic and we have heard reports where party leaders are clandestinely supporting opposition .This should stop if we believe in democracy as NRM’’, said Afako.

Afako added that Anite’s attempt who claimed to have given Shs 30M to Yakani to campaign for President Museveni has created more suspicion on how the NRM Campaign materials reached Opposition Honcho’s hands, when flag bearers around the country are decrying poor facilitation despite a few remaining period to the general elections.

‘’It doesn’t mean that when you lose you again go against the party principles .The Party Chairman gives you a budget for reconciliation and you use it to fund Opposition ,leaders should desist from that if NRM is to stay. You can be disgruntled and complain that’s okay, but then you can’t be counterproductive’’, said another source.

According to sources, there was also a meeting in Koboko at the neighborhood of Country motel in preparation for Tumukunde’s coming that was reportedly convened by some NRM Bigwigs and when the former came, the shocking discussion held is yet to be published.

‘’NRM also struggles to get these resources, how can someone divert such materials to opposition when we have flag bearers and party leaders. Even if they were 2000 T-Shirts that’s Millions of money and supporters are not happy with such acts’’, added another party member.

It should be noted that ever since Dr Charles Ayume floored Minister of State for Investment, Evelyn Anite in a heavily contested NRM party primary poll in Koboko, a section of party members have alleged that the latter is backing opposition candidates in the area to frustrate the former, an allegation we could not independently verify by press time.

Responding to the allegations, Anite said she doesn’t work for the NRM Secretariat, adding that it is the Secretariat which is responsible for all resources needed by the party structures and NRM flag bearers. She further argued that it’s not offensive for anybody to campaign for President Museveni.

“It is not a crime for an Independent candidate to campaign for Museveni and on top, any person can print posters from anywhere. If I managed to convince Yakani to start supporting President Museveni, what is wrong with that?” Anite wondered.

Dr Ayume is a son to the late Francis Ayume, who served as Solicitor General, Speaker of Parliament, and Attorney General, who represented Koboko County in Parliament from 1996 until his death.