Over 300 youthful supporters of the National Resistance Movement (NRM) party from the Acholi sub region have volunteered to solicit for votes for President Yoweri Museveni in his fourth term presidential election bid.
Under their umbrella ‘Aweno pe Kilaro ki Won Tol’ (literally, you don’t fight with a hunter over a trapped guinea fowl), vow to see President Museveni garner the biggest percentage of votes over his old friend now turned foe Mr Amama Mbabazi and other opposition candidates in Acholi.
Ms Susan Acan, the Spokesperson for the youth campaign taskforce says, “Our major plan is to popularize the Kyankwanzi resolution which resolved that Museveni will become the sole candidate for the party in the 2016 presidential election.”
Acan noted since the dream of making Museveni become the only candidate came true; they will now invest their energy in securing votes for their candidates especially in the wider Acholi sub region.
Acan revealed that they will target institutions such as teacher training colleges, universities and boda-boda operators in their effort to amplify Museveni’s presidential candidature.
According to Acan, “Our major focus will be achievements under the NRM government, recruitment of new members at grassroots level and the NRM manifestos.”
The youth also say they are looking beyond 2016 as the ruling party tries to consolidate its support in the north which is seen as an opposition stronghold.
Mr Richard Todwong, the Deputy Secretary General of the party who launched the youth task force on Saturday at Awach parish, Aswa County in Gulu district says unless they know the principles of the NRM party, their plan to recruit more members will not materialize since they will have limited background of the party.
Todwong explained that, “Mobilization is like convincing a woman to marry. You should know your limits or risk scaring away individuals who have joined the party.”
He tasked them to read so that they equip themselves with a lot of knowledge on what NRM believes in and the dream it has for the country.
Todwong also warned the youth against intimidating those who do not share NRM political ideology.
Last Friday, Dr Kizza Besigye, the former President for Forum for Democratic Change (FDC) party, said the new generation is blindly following the NRM.
Addressing a rally at Kaunda grounds in Gulu town, Besigye accused Museveni of hanging on to power despite pushing the country into political as well as economic turmoil.
Written by James Owich & Ronnie Layoo
