NRM Candidates to Enjoy Free Radio, TV Airtime
NRM presidential flag bearer, Yoweri Museveni, with secretary-general, Justine Kasule Lumumba.
Candidates under the ruling National Resistance Movement (NRM) will not spend on buying broadcast airtime on radio and television stations since their party leaders are planning to buy media space for its flag bearers in next year’s general elections.
Unlike the previous campaigns, the mass media is the only viable campaign avenue for politicians to reach the electorate ahead of the 2021 general elections since the Electoral Commission (EC) banned open-air political rallies as a precautionary measure against further spread of Covid-19.
Addressing journalists at the Uganda Journalist Association (UJA) offices at Kawempe in Kampala, Emmanuel Dombo, the director for information and publicity at the NRM secretariat, said that the party is cognizant of the challenges that its flag bearers will face in light of the guidelines issued by the EC.
“Once the primaries are concluded, we are going to buy airtime on various media houses to promote our presidential candidate, parliamentary candidates, and those at the local government level,” Dombo said.
He also claimed that the party paid for airtime during the recently concluded elections for members to its Central Executive Committee (CEC), through which the various contenders reached to delegates who formed the electoral college.
He also watered down credibility questions being raised by some of the CEC elections losers, arguing that losers always find scapegoats to explain their loss.
Lands State Minister, Persis Namuganza who lost to Parliament Speaker, Rebecca Kadaga in the race for second national vice-chairperson of the party, Matayo Kyaligonza who was defeated by Dr. Chris Baryomunsi in the contest for vice-chairperson (Western) and former MP, Sanjay Tana who was defeated by Capt. Mike Mukula for the vice-chairperson (Eastern) had a common voice in accusing the party of facilitating their loss.
Dombo challenged the claimants to provide evidence to facilitate the party to carry out investigations.
“We shall listen to them and investigate to find out whether there is credibility because people are human beings. We might be there and somebody does his things. But we need evidence to audit the process to find out what really happened,” he said.
NRM is to kick off elections of its primary elections starting next week September 4 with the election of flag bearers for members of parliament.
NRM will pay for airtime for its candidates on all electronic media and at the same time block opposition contenders from using any of those channels! F*cking sh*t!