Honorable Judith Alyek, the chairperson Lango parliamentary group has said the delay to elect the NRM regional vice chairperson for northern has affected the political and implementation of NRM party ideology in the region.
Alyek was speaking to this publication on Monday morning while contacted on the proposal of the amendment of the NRM electoral constitution amendment that has been raised by the president of the transformer cadres association of Uganda Felix Adupa Ongwech.
She said that since the party vice chairperson responsibility is to sit in the central executive committee to decide on the development and implementation of the NRM party ideology and political mobilization, NRM now lacks a mobilizer in the name of the regional vice chair in the Oyam North By-election which she said is a big blow for the party.
“This delay to get the Northern Regional Vice Chairperson has affected
us so much, you see when it comes to this Oyam by-election this is where the responsibility comes that there is no one to help in the party mobilization and promoting the party Ideology” said Alyek.
Alyek said that as the secretary general Richard Todwong and the state minister of defense sits in the central executive committee but the committee has no one in the name of the Northern vice chairperson.
“The president has appointed the minister for defense Uduu to sit in the central executive committee and secretary general Todwong but there is no one in the name of the regional vice chairperson” Alyek added.
She added that the position of the regional vice chairperson is a national position that according to the party electoral constitution, the election is held country wide but said if there is need to amend the clause in the a constitution that requires elections to be held country wide and brought regionally will welcome it.
Adupa said that the current clause that provides that the regional vice the chairperson elected nationally lacks meaning and needs to be amended since this position is for Northern Uganda not Uganda at large.
He said that there isn’t any need to go out rallying for votes country wide while they will represent only Acholi, Lango,West Nile and Karamoja sub region.
Therefore Adupa proposed that the party should amend this constitution
before updating the register and organizing the party election which he
said should be done without delay to ensure effective service delivery.
“If am contesting to represent the people of Northern Uganda why
Should I go and rally for votes from western and other regions? I think this is not right, this constitution must be reviewed. I will represent Lango,Acholi, Karamoja and West Nile but are ready waiting for the announcement from the party electoral body on the strategies that shall
be used to conduct the election” Adupa said.
He confirmed to this publication his intention to contest for the position of the Northern Uganda regional vice chairperson once the party declared that the position needs the person to cover the gap which has been created after the death of RTD Hon. Jacob Oulanyah.
Recently the NRM party secretary general Hon Richard Todwong said The party is yet to update the register before holding the by-election for the Northern regional vice chairperson. Todwong added that the term of office of the current party leaders has elapsed and they will first update their register which he said shall be held in 2023 when they mobilize resources.
“No we are not holding the election so soon we need first to update the party register since the term of office of these people has elapsed. Probably we shall update the register next year since we still have no resources. Immediately we realize the resources then we shall start theprocess” Todwong said.
Seven People including Dr. Jane Ruth Aceng the minister for health,
Betreace Anywar the minister for environment, Felix Adupa Ongwec the president transformer cadres association of Uganda, Judith Alyek the chairperson Lango Parliamentary group, UPC Betty Amongi the minister for gender, Labor and social development, Dan Kidega, Ziggler Ojede CEO Lango resilience association among others have so far expressed interest in the position.
The position remained vacant following the death of RTD Hon. Jacob Oulanyah the former speaker of the 11 th parliament who died of cancer last year from sheatle hospital in America.