Kabasharira’s Remarks Stir Tensions in the House

A drama unfolded in Parliament during a plenary session when Rushenyi County MP Naome Kabasharira made controversial remarks involving Tanga Odoi, the chairperson of the National Resistance Movement (NRM) Electoral Commission. The sharp exchange between Kabasharira and the Deputy Speaker, Thomas Tayebwa, brought the session to a dramatic stop.

Kabasharira Congratulates Kisoro MP with Sharp Critique

The incident occurred as Kabasharira congratulated Grace Ngabirano, the newly sworn-in MP from Kisoro, on her recent election victory. During her address, Kabasharira described Odoi as an “electoral thief.”

“Allow me to congratulate my sister from Kisoro because she was sworn in when I wasn’t here, for defeating the NRM Electoral thief chairperson in the names of Tanga Odoi, I congratulate her for that,” Kabasharira stated.

Her remarks attracted attention instantly, as they alluded to the controversial NRM primaries in Kisoro. The opponent who defeated Ngabirano in the party primaries lost the parliamentary seat in the general election, a development that had already called into question the integrity of the internal election process.

Deputy Speaker Steps In

Deputy Speaker Tayebwa immediately intervened, cautioning Kabasharira on her choice of words and the need for respectful debate.

“That is a very unfortunate statement on a person who doesn’t have a way here to defend himself,” Tayebwa said. “I know you can use better language, even when you have issues.”

The intervention by the Deputy Speaker brought out the need for decorum and that an individual absent in the Chamber should not be accused unsubstantially.

Statement Withdrawn, But the Point Remains

In response, Kabasharira yielded to Tayebwa’s directive, withdrawing her statement but subtly reiterating it.

“Okay, the point is made although I withdraw it,” she said, signaling that her concerns about the integrity of the NRM primaries remained unchanged despite the withdrawal.

Background on the Kisoro NRM Primaries

The controversy stems from the highly disputed NRM primaries in Kisoro, where accusations of irregularities had already marred the process. As the head of the NRM Electoral Commission, Odoi’s role in overseeing the elections has been scrutinized, with critics questioning the transparency and fairness of the outcomes. The eventual victory of the primary’s loser in the general election only added fuel to the fire.

Call for Accountability and Fairness

Kabasharira’s remarks were contentious, but they echoed the fast-growing concern on internal elections within political parties. This exchange in Parliament renews a debate on demands for greater accountability and more transparency in party primaries if results are to be credible to regain public trust.

Looking Ahead

While the parliamentary drama has ebbed, the wider ramifications from the incident remain. This is, of course, as all political stakeholders forge ahead into these challenges, ever so focusing on efforts that nurture debate that builds on integrity and constructive criticism for Uganda’s political landscape.