Despite the fairly good turn of members on the mainland to update their details in the ruling National Resistance Movement Members Register, those in the islands and along the shores of L. Victoria in Namayingo district have completely rejected the exercise.
Even when the district leadership tried to intervene, the fishing communities told them off that they were not ready to have their NRM membership renewed.
The bitter fishers told the district team led by the LCV vice chairman, Abdullah Twaha Kauta, Rebecca Naigaga, the district’s secretary for production and Rajab Muyonga Mubarak that they feel betrayal by government decision to ban the affordable Mukene fishing methods coupled with torture by the Fisheries Protection Unit (FPU), the UPDF unit that fights illegal fishing.
During a sensitization and mobilization meeting in the island of Lolwe, the furious fishing community told the district leadership on Friday March 15, 2024 that they would even mobilize their peers to boycott the NRM exercise if their challenges are not addressed.
The leaders were lured to go to the islands by their colleague, Rebecca Naigaga a strong NRM mobilizer and area District Woman councilor also wife to the area MP(Bukooli islands), Hon Peter Okheyo. Naigaga’s intention was to bring the colleagues to help give her a back up in mobilizing her community for the exercise that was launched by the party national chairman, President Yoweri Kaguta Museveni.
Namayingo is 75% water and the mainland forms only 25% of the district.
“Why do you only see us as important people when you want our votes? Leave us alone we are looking for alternative ways of earning a living because you (NRM government) stopped us from fishing Mukene,” one very furious fisher told the leaders as his colleagues cheered.
“We came here thinking that you have come to lift the ban on fishing Mukene with our affordable methods. If we knew you were coming to talk about NRM registration, you’d have found none of us,” he added.
“You will excuse us sir (Mr Kauta) for being bitter but we are hungry hence angry with government for the ban on Mukene fishing. Don’t expect us to participate in this exercise but go back to Namayingo, knowing that we shall mobilize our colleagues to shun this exercise. It is not that we don’t love our party, but we are disappointed that our cries have not been heard,” another fisher said.
Efforts by the district team to cool down the situation failed. They left the islands unheard and worried of what next.
“We need to do something about this community otherwise I am very worried,” Kauta told this publication as soon as they stepped on the mainland.
Elsewhere, top leaders and ordinary members of the long-serving political party have embraced the campaign with majority leading to their villages to confirm their membership as they get on their maxi for the anticipated 2025 NRM primaries and the 2026 general elections.
The head of NRM in the Eastern region, Captain Mike Mukula, on Friday told reporters at the NRM offices in Jinja that the region has generally registered a low turn up in the ongoing exercise.
Mukula, who mobilized members to embrace the crucial cause, emphasised its importance, saying only those in the yellow book will qualify for the soon NRM primaries.
