TALK OF POLITICS OF CROSSING: AT LEAST ALEX ONZIMA WOULD RETURN FUNDS HE GOT FROM FDC

Those days when I was for Dr. Kiiza Besigye (2001 up to 2006), I used to see Alex Onzima take millions contributed to by FDC supporters to his Constituents! After taking so much money paid in to see Museveni go, Onzima turns to NRM. I don't know whether this is not corruption. William Kituuka Kiwanuka ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ NRM’s Onzima defies Museveni Wednesday, 10 November 2010 22:33 Written by David Tash Lumu Onzima at the NRM delegates conference New NRM convert Alex Androa Onzima has announced he will run as an independent in a bid to retain his Maracha county seat, a decision that puts him on a collision course with party chairman President Museveni. Onzima, formerly of FDC, told The Observer on Monday that he would stand as an independent because “I am popular.” President Museveni has consistently warned NRM MPs not to stand as independents in the 2011 general elections. The President even promised jobs to all those who lost in the primaries in a bid to dissuade them from standing as independents But Onzima says independents should not be fought because, at 37, they form a formidable part of the current Parliament. “They are close to 40. So, for me, I am going to stand as an independent even when there are flag-bearers,” he maintained. Onzima, one of the longest-serving MPs from West Nile, officially crossed from FDC to NRM on September 1 this year during a public rally at which Museveni launched the new district of Maracha. The former FDC vice president now heads the West Nile Elect-Museveni 2011 Taskforce—Maracha chapter. Maracha district was carved out of Arua district and its creation is behind the fallout between Onzima and FDC. Another FDC heavyweight, Kassiano Wadri (Terego) wanted the new district headquarters located in his constituency, and Onzima accused the FDC of failing to resolve that dispute. Eventually, Onzima got Maracha district, while Terego returned to Arua. “People are struggling to come to Parliament but, for me, I am already in the ninth Parliament,” he bragged, lashing out at losing ministers and MPs, who are busy seeking Museveni’s indulgence to salvage their political fortunes. Onzima, who didn’t participate in the September primaries, advised the losing NRM MPs to stand as independents or concede defeat. “If you are a true politician, you cannot cry foul by saying that you were rigged out,” Onzima said. “You are the people in the system. You have been a minister or MP for two terms; why do you say you were rigged out?” Onzima will be taking on NRM’s flag bearer, Richard Angualia, the former assistant commissioner in the ministry of Lands, Housing and Urban Development. Others in the race include Alice Mawaka and Denis Lee Oguzu. Commenting on his opponents, Onzima said it is not enough to be a flag bearer. “In 2006, Moses Ali and Zoe Bakoko Bakoru were flag bearers but what happened to them? They lost miserably to independents,” he pointed out. Former Deputy Prime Minister Lt Gen Moses Ali, in 2006 lost his Moyo East seat to then little known Santos Eruaga. Former Labour minister Bakoko lost her Ayivu seat to Margaret Angufiru. However, this time round Moses Ali has bounced back in the primaries after trouncing Eruaga. The losing MP petitioned the Kigongo committee, which was charged with resolving electoral disputes arising from the primaries. But Onzima says Kigongo is wasting time. “It is a futile exercise,” he said. On Monday this week, the Kigongo committee cleared 100 petitioners to stand as party flag bearers, including ministers: Maj Gen Kahinda Otafiire (Trade), Emmanuel Otaala (State for Labour) and James Kakooza (State for Health). The NRM electoral commission also set November 18 for fresh primaries in some constituencies, while the national nominations for MPs are slated for November 25-26. The ministers still waiting for their fate include Aggrey Awori (ICT), Gabriel Opio (state for Higher Education), Ruth Nankabirwa (state for Micro Finance), Stephen Mallinga (Health), Serapio Rukundo (state for Tourism), Simon Ejua (state for Works), Sulaiman Madada (Elderly), Vincent Nyanzi and Aston Kajara, among others. Ephraim Kamuntu (Sheema South), on the other hand, was confirmed to have lost to Yorokamu Katwiremu. dtlumu@observer.ug