Museveni Petitioned over Sanjay Tanna’s Behavior in the recently concluded NRM CEC Elections

Capt Mike Mukula, the NRM National Vice Chairperson for Eastern Region has petitioned President Yoweri Musevni over Sanjay Tanna’s behavior in the recently concluded NRM Central Executive Committee (CEC) elections.

Mukula retained his NRM CEC seat after beating his rival, Sanjay Tanna during the recently concluded 1st Extra-Ordinary Meeting of the 3rd National Conference. After losing the election, Tanna subsequently wrote to the President on August 21 through a one Dan Meshack Okware, challenging Mukula’s reelection.

In his petition, Sanjay Tanna’s camp makes several allegations against Mukula among them includes sectarianism. However, Mukula says that the petitioner was unfair to him because they did not give him a copy of the petition.

“It is important to note from the onset, that this petition which is seeking to challenge my re-election was never copied to me as the respondent. My understanding of an election petition of this nature, is that it should ordinarily be geared towards seeking for Page 2 of 10 justice and a fair hearing for both the petitioner (Hon. Sanjay Tanna) and the Respondent (myself). The principles of Justice and the right to a fair hearing, which are fundamental pillars that the National Resistance Movement under your visionary leadership, has guaranteed for Ugandans; dictates that I should have been copied in so as to make a serialized response to the allegations made against me,” Mukula’s letter to Museveni reads.

Mukula says that it was equally unfair for Tanna’s rush to petition Museveni, who is also the NRM Party chairperson yet such a matter could be handled by the NRM Electoral Commission as stipulated in the Party Constitution.

“By rushing therefore to petition Your Excellency without copying me in as the “accused” in the petition, it would appear to me that the petitioner is only seeking the attention and sympathy of Your Excellency; other than seeking legal relief from the appropriate NRM forum mandated to handle such matters i.e. the NRM Electoral Commission,” Mukula said. In his petition, Tanna alleges that the campaign was marred with gross irregularities, voter intimidation, and malpractices, racism and sectarianism- allegations that Mukula refutes.

Mukula in his letter to Museveni says that he has irrefutable evidence that Sanjay Tanna, who is of Indian origin, was “heavily funded by the Indian community both in Uganda and beyond” and that in his campaigns, he was simply cautioning voters against voting candidates who are backed by foreigners, whose interest in the internal elections of the National Resistance Movement’s top policy making organs, was unknown and remain suspect up to today. Apparently, Indian community in uganda bankrolled Tanna to a tune of Shs4billion. Mukula is now asking the President to find time to resolve the reconcile him and Tanna to promote party cohesion and unity.