By Our Reporter
NATIONAL
At least eight people are gearing up for the position of vice chairperson of the ruling National Resistance Movement (NRM) for Northern Uganda.
Sources say, the eight politicians, including the current chairman of the Uganda Medical Association (UMA), Dr Samuel Oledo Odongo, have already started ground work to fill the position, which was previously occupied by the former Speaker of Parliament, Jacob Oulanyah.
That rooting for the position, sources say, has also attracted two ministers, Beatrice Anywar (State for Environment) and Henry Okello Oryem (State for Foreign Affairs).
The former Speaker of the East African Legislative Assembly, Dan Kidega, has also hit the ground as the mobilisation for the NRM position intensifies.
Other contenders include the former minister for housing, Sam Engola, a businessman in the north, Timothy Jokene, the Mayor of Koboko Municipality, Dr Wilson Sanya, and NRM mobiliser in the north, Job Richard Matua.
The NRM electoral commission chairperson, Dr Tanga Odoi, has not yet released the roadmap for the party to fill the position, but contenders say, carrying out mobilisation is not prohibited.
“I will create regional and national unity, enhance cadreship to improve service delivery and performance of the NRM Government and ensure grassroot reach,” Matua, one of the contenders, said.
The position automatically makes one a member of the Central Executive Committee (CEC) of NRM, the party’s top decision-making organ.
Oulanyah died on March 20 at a Seattle hospital in the US, where he had been admitted since February.
Oulanyah was the MP for Omoro County, Speaker of Parliament and Vice Chairperson of NRM for Northern Uganda.
To clinch the NRM position, Oulanyah beat Engola in 2020.
