Journalists covering parliament were on Monday morning thrown out of a caucus meeting of the ruling NRM legislators who had just begun the process of choosing the six candidates to represent the party at the East African Legislative Assembly – EALA.
The journalists, numbering over 40, had been invited to the function which was about to listen to the campaigns by the several candidates vying for a slot to the regional assembly and later vote for the six.
But as soon as the opening speech of the Prime Minister and Secretary General, Amama Mbabazi was done, State Minister for Animal Husbandry, Bright Rwamirama, moved a motion to have the journalists thrown out so that internal matters of the caucus could be discussed.
For almost 15 minutes, the journalists resisted being thrown out arguing that since they had been invited, they deserved to cover the function in an open manner. They engaged in an exchange with some MPs and the security that had been directed to throw them out until the Vice Chairman of the Caucus, David Bahati, intervened and addressed the journalists.
Bahati, who apologized for the confusion, said that there were some administrative issues that had to be sorted out before the actual EALA campaigns start and the members needed to debate in confidence.
Daudi Migereko, the Acting Chief Whip, also apologized and said the problem was a misunderstanding in the manner in which the communication was passed to the journalists.
//Cue In: “We did not throw out the journalists……”
Cue Out: “….the caucus of NRM.”//
Some of the journalists later vowed not to go back to cover the campaigns even if they were re-invited.
It later emerged that the matter that was controversial was the disputed nomination of outgoing EALA member, Lydia Wanyoto. Wanyoto, according to sources within the caucus, is being resisted by a number of MPs who argue that all other regional MPs had left at two terms, without seeking a third term.
But reports from the closed door meeting indicate that some top officials within the party have insisted on getting her nominated to stand.
The NRM has over 30 contestants for the only six slots available.
The caucus was later suspended for some hours to allow Mbabazi and some lawyers within the caucus analyse the details of the ruling on Wanyoto case from the East African Court of Justice.
