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PRESIDENT Yoweri Museveni has announced his candidature for the NRM chairmanship and as the flag-bearer for the party in next year’s presidential elections.

Museveni is welcomed by NRM supporters during one of his national tours to mobilise households to improve their income

Museveni is the current chairman of the NRM, the ruling party. If re-elected by the national conference in September, he will become the party’s flag-bearer in the 2011 elections, and on the path to another term in office.

The NRM will hold its special organs conference on September 6-7, while its national conference will be held on September 11-12 at Namboole stadium.

Dr. Elizabeth Nabatanzi and Capt. Daudi Maguru, the President’s former aide, have also declared their intentions to contest for the party’s chairmanship.

Speaking at Kamukuzi in Mbarara municipality on Saturday, Museveni told leaders of people with disabilities, women and youth leagues that he submitted his nomination papers to the NRM electoral commission on Friday for the chairmanship of the party and flag-bearer for the NRM in next year’s elections, according to a State House statement.

He urged party members to support his candidature in the delegates conference. “I am happy to hear that disabled people are embracing my candidature,” announced Museveni, who was the chief guest at the commissioning of the Western Uganda Centre for People with Disabilities.

He appealed to members of the NRM delegates’ conference and all party members to endorse his bid so as to cement the gains the country has realised since NRM came to power in 1986.

He said together with other historical members of NRM, they fought and brought peace and stability, revamped the country’s economy, boosted revenue collection and ensured economic stability.

He noted that as the country goes into a phase of socio-economic transformation, some members of the historical team need to be kept in positions of leadership to provide the much needed expertise and experience to propel the country ahead. He added that the NRM enjoys a lot of support nationally.

“The Speaker of Parliament had to call off parliamentary sessions because NRM MPs were going for party primaries. Other parties could not raise the quorum for Parliament to sit, which shows that we are in charge,” the President said.

On the poor functioning of the party structures, Museveni attributed it to lack of funds, but said everything possible was being done to fund the smooth running of the party.

He warned State House staff against interfering in the ongoing NRM primary elections. “State House staff are my workers and they shouldn’t do things I didn’t send them to do,” Museveni warned.

The President’s remarks followed a report from Dan Kimosho, who is contesting for the western region youth MP, that some State House staff were meddling in the youth parliamentary elections.

Museveni was the chief guest at the commissioning of the centre for people with disabilities. It will host regional offices and a training centre. It was initiated by the western region MP for PWDs, Hood Katuramu. The President contributed sh70m towards the completion of the centre.

He said the NRM recognises the need for affirmative action for PWDs, the reason he supported legislation to have them represented politically from the grassroots to the national level and in all NRM party structures

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