Speaker Rebecca Kadaga has condemned politics of hate and blackmail hours after retaining her NRM CEC seat as 2nd National Vice chairperson (Women).
Kadaga beat her rival, Persis Namuganza (State minister for Lands) by about 3,000 votes having garnered 6,776 votes. In her first statement after claiming victory, Kadaga admitted that the NRM CEC race has been so tense, but thanked the delegates for the vote of confidence despite her candidature being openly de-campaigned by top NRM officials. She added that despite all the challenges she faced, democracy prevailed.
“The last couple of weeks have confirmed to the country and to the world that in the NRM, democracy is not just a word we talk about but one that we practice,” Kadaga said in a statement.
“It has been intense but a very important process for the largest Party in the country to lead by example and, within the party, to give confidence to our members that they have a strong say in the Party they love so much. Yesterday’s victory was not just mine but the Party’s win. I would like to thank the delegates from all the districts for trusting me for yet another term on CEC,” she added.
She urged party leadership to now focus on politics devoid of hate and blackmail and focus on building the NRM Party in line with its core values of democracy, Pan-Africanism, socio-economic transformation and patriotism.
“With the CEC elections now past us, let us move past politics of hate and blackmail and focus on that which will make our Party stronger and attractive to both the young and old,” she said.
During campaigns, Government Chief Whip Ruth Nankabirwa was captured on video publicly asking NRM delegates not to vote for Kadaga for the NRM CEC seat because she has not been supportive of government positions.
