By Spy Uganda
National Resistance Movement (NRM), ruling Ugandan party has responded to Kenya’s ‘Orange Democratic Movement party MP’s ‘outburst’ about Uganda’s President Museveni over William Ruto’s aborted trip to Uganda recently.
In a nine paged letter addressed to Suna East MP Junet Mohamed, who blasted NRM for jumping into their matters without clearing its own rotten governance, furious Secretary General Todwong Richard noted that his party has never and will never interfere with affairs of any country thus terming Junet’s statements as disrespectful and an insult to President Museveni, who started struggle to liberate East Africa in the 60s when he (Museveni) was still a student.
Read Richard Todwong’s Full Letter Here
“We don’t do this to undermine or to ‘capture power’ in any country as you alleged. We neither stop any visitor from entering our country as long as such a visit is not of security risk to our people, for us we aim at promotion of Pan-Africanism and brotherhood,” partially reads Todwong’s letter.
In the letter that sounds like a history lesson, NRM’s Secretary-General countered claims of anti-democratic tendencies of which Junet had accused the party, enumerating without evidence, the various successes NRM claims it has achieved in three decades in power.
“We believe that your proclamation does not represent the official position of the Orange Democratic Movement (ODM) in Kenya against the well-established historical ties and the National Resistance Movement (NRM) Party and the people of Kenya,” reads the letter responding Junet who had said; “The NRM record on human rights is not worth borrowing from. The NRM record on democracy is not worth borrowing… even worse, the NRM is a party of lifetime presidency.”
NRM’s letter seemingly gave a blow by blow response to Junet’s claims which it terms “falsehoods”, championing the party’s credentials that have helped them dominate Uganda’s politics.
“The assertion that Kenya doesn’t need to borrow from other countries political habits is very correct, and indeed you should never even think of it just like we equally don’t. This is because our social, economic and political trajectories are premised on different core values and principle,” reads the nine-page letter.
Curiously, the party did not respond to similar allegations made by ODM chairman John Mbadi, who had claimed that Museveni’s party had not won any democratic election.
“Your statement is an insult to the sovereignty and integrity of Ugandans who always elect their leaders,” the NRM further notes.
It further lectured MP Junet; “Honorable Member, I hope you recall the post-election violence of 2007/2008 in Kenya and how more than 2,000 innocent Kenyans were lost in only two weeks of the riots with about one million made homeless… such has never happened in Uganda.”
The NRM leader further stressed: “We promote and are committed to the East African Treaty that encourages sovereignty of countries and non-interference in the affairs of other countries. We believe you could be having internal issues which we cannot be invited to be part of. No amount of diversionary statements from individuals can make us think otherwise.”
Its worth noting that Suna’s statements how ever came after a couple of years when Uganda has been on the spot by international watchdog bodies over human rights abuses, with election-rigging claims dogging Museveni in subsequent elections.
The current administration has also faced accusations over dictatorial tendencies that have seen opposition figures arrested on several occasions something that Suna could have based on to throw rotten eggs at Museveni’s government.
