Kabakumba storms NRM rally podium

Masindi- Independent contestant for the Masindi Municipality parliamentary race Kabakumba Masiko at the weekend surprised National Resistance Movement (NRM) party supportters when she stormed the podium to convass support for her and NRM presidential candidate Yoweri Museveni in Masindi District.

Ms Masiko was one of the candidates who attended both President Museveni’s rallies in Kikingura village in Bwijanga Sub-county and Masindi Boma Grounds in Masindi Municipality last Saturday.

She, however, emerged from one of the tents and walked straight to the podium where the President was and asked people to vote for President Museveni and herself during the February 18 election.

The president had just introduced NRM flag bearers to the voters including Ernest Kiiza, the Bunyoro Affairs state minister who is also the incumbent MP for Masindi Municipality.

Ms Kabakumba’s action drew mixed reactions from the crowd with Ernest Kiiza’s supporters booing her.

Mr Willy Wabyona, a resident of Kijura, a suburb of Masindi town, wondered why Ms Kabakumba went to the podium yet she was not the party flag bearer. “It was clear the President did not invite her to the podium,” he claimed.

However, Mr Collins Atugonza, another voter said Ms Kabakumba was right to go to the podium because she is a political leader in the district.

Ms Kabakumba, who is the Bujenje County MP, lost the NRM primaries to Lt (rtd) Patrick Kasumba.

After losing the poll, she shifted to Masindi Municipality where she is standing as an independent candidate.

Mr Kiiza described the incident as unfortunate. “A person of her calibre and status, cannot just gatecrash. You run from where you are seated, you go and grab the microphone from the President when he has not invited you,” Mr Kiiza complained.

Invited
However, Ms Kabakumba said the President personally invited her to the podium. “I was invited by the president. He signalled and called me,” Kabakumba said.

While at the podium, Ms Kabakumba requested for two government-aided secondary schools in Kigulya and Karujubu divisions of Masindi Municipality as President Museveni listened.

Five candidates were nominated for the Masindi Municipality parliamentary seat, including Mr Ernest Kiiza, the NRM flag bearer, Mr Moses Tugume of FDC, Mr Rogers Kanti of the Go Forward pressure group, Ms Kabakumba Masiko and Lenox Tugume who are both independents.

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