The National Resistance Movement (NRM) has warned its members who intend to contest for public office as independent candidates that they will be dismissed from the party.
The Chairperson of the NRM electoral commission, Dr. Ruhakana Rugunda, told the media today that the party constitution prohibits its members from standing as independents. He quoted Rule Number 4 from the NRM election guidelines, which says that if a member loses the primary elections, he or she cannot stand as an independent or support an opposition candidate. Any member who does so faces immediate dismissal.
Several NRM heavyweights lost the primary elections for LC5 chairpersons and district women's representatives last week.
Among the losers are the former Mukono LC5 chairperson, Damulira Kyeyune, the Member of Parliament for Kapchorwa, Gertrude Kulany and former Constitutional Assembly Delegate, Beatrice Lagada. The three NRM members claim that the elections were rigged and have threatened to stand as independent candidates in next year's elections.
Rugunda said that if the party members go ahead to contest as independents, they run a risk of forfeiting their membership in the NRM.
