The differences between the ruling National Resistance Movement (NRM) party and the newly elected Woman MP for Kisoro District, Grace Ngabirano Akifeza seems to have ended after the two parties signed Memorandum of Understanding (MoU).
Akifeza won the district seat a month ago on an independent ticket in a hotly contest by-election to replace the late Sarah Mateke Nyirabashitsi, who died in September this year.
Akifeza’s delegation led by the Government Chief whip Hamson Obua and a section of Kisoro legislators was welcomed by the NRM deputy Secretary General Rose Namayanja Nsereko.
Shortly after the signing of the MoU, Namayanja welcomed Akifeza and congratulated her on winning the election.
“I thank you for accepting to come and associate with the party noting that signing an MoU with the NRM party gives the candidate all the privileges to enjoy what the NRM party members enjoy and participate in all the activities that the NRM party members participate in,” she said.
The Deputy Secretary-General noted that the agreement reached with Akifeza is one that the party has been signing with all the members of parliament that are independent that choose to work with the NRM party to fulfil the NRM manifesto.
“Although we have signed an MoU with Ngabirano, Rose Kabagyeni will remain the party flag bearer until the party goes into party primaries where they will choose another party flagbearer,” Namayanja noted adding that the party has also signed MoUs with various independent LC5 chairpersons from various parts of the country.
Namayanja revealed that the party is in the final stages of concluding its party register digitization processes, an activity that is taking place in various stations across the country.
Obua on his part noted that, after exercising her constitutional right and consultation with the people of Kisoro, Akifeza has decided to associate with the people of the NRM party.
“As the chairperson of the NRM parliamentary caucus. I present to you an independent candidate, Ngabirano. She is an independent but she has decided to associate with the NRM party. The law says that she will only associate but not belong to the NRM party but she will have all the benefits that the NRM members receive,” Obua said.
Akifeza commended her voters for entrusting her with the mandate of serving them in Parliament, adding that she has been longing to come and sign an MoU with the ruling party ever since she was declared a winner in the recently concluded Kisoro by-election.
“I have always longed to come here. I feel that I was a child that was lost but now I am found. I did not like it when I was out of my home that I grew up knowing but I am overwhelmed that I am back home. I want to thank the NRM party for accepting me to come back home and associate with them,” she added.
