Social media critics have scoffed at the ruling party of the National Resistance Movement (NRM) saying the action of blocking the NUP offices grand opening is out of resent (jealousy) given the fact that for the over 40 years they have been in power, they have failed to own/building a decent party headquarters.
Police and the army have deployed heavily at the new opposition National Unity Platform (NUP) offices at Kavule Cell in Kawempe Division, Kampala district to block the planned grand opening of the offices slated for today by the party President, Robert Kyagulanyi Ssentamu.
Kyagulanyi and other members had planned to officially open their offices today though the Kawempe deputy RCC, Yasin Ndidde two days ago warned the party leaders against the event.
Ndidde asked the NUP leadership to suspend the function on grounds that there will be a lot of other VIP activities in the division.
Kyagulanyi however insisted and rubbished Ndidde’s advice saying the reasons he (deputy RCC) had given for suspension of their function was laughable.
“The laughable reason Ndidde gives is that there are many other activities on that day, as though we invited them to attend. This is an internal activity for Party Organs as well as specially invited guests including Political leaders, religious leaders and members of the diplomatic community,” Kyagulanyi responded.
He added that: “Well, we have responded to him, reminding him that he has no right whatsoever to issue these illegal orders and confirming that we shall proceed with our activity as planned!”
However, the security operatives have immensely deployed at their new offices putting barricades at the entrance.
At the offices; there is a portrait of Frank Ssenteza, one of Kyagulanyi’s private bodyguards who was killed during the 2021 presidential election, which is painted on the walls.
Ssenteza died on December 27, 2020 after he was allegedly run over by a military truck No. H4DF 2382 at Busega where security operatives tried to block NUP supporters and leaders from heading to Rubaga Hospital where several of Kyagulanyi’s supporters had been admitted after being injured in a scuffle with security operatives in Masaka.
Social media critics have scoffed at the ruling party of the National Resistance Movement (NRM) saying the action of blocking the NUP offices grand opening is out of resent (jealousy) given the fact that for the over 40 years they have been in power, they have failed to own/building a decent party headquarters.
In a period of one year after unveiling land at Kavule in Kawempe Division, NUP has been able to build up party headquarters.
However, 11 years ago, NRM’s chairman, President Yoweri Kaguta Museveni officiated at a function where the party was fundraising for over sh30bn meant to construct the Movement House, which was meant to be the party headquarters.
Reports show that NRM raised a total of sh4bn on that function, which was raised from the over 400 excited members in a few hours.
The money was raised at a dinner organized by the then NRM Finance Commission led by party treasurer Amelia Kyambadde who was also the minister for trade.
The Movement House was projected to be a 27 storeyed building to symbolize the 27 armed men who ran over the barracks.
The Secretariat needed sh30b for the Movement House that was to constitute conference facilities, shopping complex, Roof Garden, theatres and also host the NRM offices. It was billed to be the tallest building on completion in the projected two years of its construction.