TROUBLE LOOMS; Lira NRM Carders Demand Okello Opio, Etwop Dismissal from the Party for Supporting UPC’S Amongi

TROUBLE LOOMS;   Lira NRM Carders  Demand  Okello Opio, Etwop  Dismissal from the Party for Supporting UPC’S Amongi A head

By Our Reporter In Lira

As elections for the National Resistance Movement party leadership structures and Local Council flag bearers kick off across the country, Cadres in Lira City have petitioned the Secretariat demanding the tougher action against the members who have been proven unruly.

The NRM loyal members stormed the office of the party,  in Senior Quarters as early as 7am donned in their yellow shirts, holding placards bearing various statements castigating the behaviors of the unruly individual, some of whom leaders, who have now turned to be UPC’s Amongi bagmen.

Their arrival at the NRM offices coincided with that of the secretariat official who in the region to conduct the structure elections. 

 In the petition delivered to the party secretariat through Zaitun Driwaru, the NRM members accused Geoffrey Etwop, the outgoing party treasurer for Lira district and Francis Okello Opio aka Danomabor, who is the Senior Presidential Advisor-Lango Zone of openly de-campaigning the party and mobilizing for the opposition UPC.

The petition read and handed over by the lead petitioner, George Okot, the carders said in many occasions, Etwop and Okello Opio were seen and heard de-campaigning the NRM flag bearer including Lira City Woman MP of Lira City, Dr. Jane Ruth Aceng Ocero Ceng Atedero.

He said the duo did not only stop at de-campaigning the Lira City incumbent flag bearer and a party leader Dr. Aceng, but that they went ahead de-campaigning the party for UPC, a conduct that doesn’t only undermines the integrity party but also abuses its constitution.

Etwop are accused alongside Sarah Awor Angweri, the Lira City Female Workers Councilor, Joel Juke and Sam Odongo, the former party chairpersons of Lira and Adekokwok sub counties respectively.

In the case of Awor Angweri, the party members complained that she has always uttered diminishing statements that discourages people from supporting the NRM and that she has always engaged in exercises that promote the UPC against NRM ideologies.

About, Juke and Odongo, the concern is that they have been involved in forgery, where they reportedly forged thousands of the party Cards and distributed to the members of the opposition including the National Unity Platform and UPC with target of rigging the interparty elections.

The petition did not spare Daniel Okello, the Council Speaker of Lira City division and his councilor, Lydia Akello. These have also been accused of drastically mobilizing for the UPC’s Oyam South MP, Betty Amongi Akena for Lira City Woman MP election bid.

Others party leaders who are said to be part of the act include Yaya Salim, Moses Olyet and Stephen Alol.

According to the lead petitioner, George Okot, the similar petition was sent to the Secretary General and the NRM Chairperson, H.E Yoweri Museveni, exposing the escalating, radical, misconduct by Okello Opio and Etwop.

Okot said the act these people are involved in the total abuse of the Article.9 sec.2 Sub-Sec (g), and Article 9, sec2, sub section 8 of the NRM constitution.

The NRM party members demand the investigation and subsequent punishment of the accused persons if they will be found guilty of the act.

‘’I request the part secretariat through you madam commissioner, not to fold your hands while they continue to abuse and rape the constitution of the party under your watchful eye,’ Okot appealed suggesting that the accused be dismissed from the party with disgrace after fair hearing, as dictated by the Article 8 Sec.5 of the NRM Constitution.

In her response, Zaitun Driwaru, the Commissioner, Electoral Commission at NRM, thanked the NRM members of Lira for standing bold to defend the party by exposing the wrong individuals who put in yellow during the day and dine with the opposition at night.

She said the people who put in yellow and but preaches different things like Okello Opio and Etwop are the direct enemies of not only the people but of the development.

“NRM members must obey the party rules and code of conducts. You can’t ware yellow and you come and preach against yellow when NRM is working,’’ Zaitun cautioned.

She made commitment to forward the petition against Okello Opio, Etwop and others to secretariat for the top management and the legal team for faster and tougher actions to be taken against the moles.

Zaitun encouraged the party members to strictly guard the opposition from infiltrating the party structure during the elections by screening out all the nonmembers during Tuesday Baraza at the villages.

“I assure you, we are going to bring to book those who decided to contravene our party constitutions,”Zaitun told Lira City NRM.

The NRM Administrative Assistant of Lira City and District, Joshua Akejo witnessed and signed the petition pledge to follow make follow-ups to ensure party members get a deserving feedback.