Uganda: Civil servants get asked to support NRM in general election or to lose job

In the forthcoming General Election, civil servants in Mbarara District, Uganda who do not support the ruling National Resistance Movement (NRM) party have been asked to either resign or be sacked, according to a news report by Daily Monitor.

The district chairperson, Capt (Rtd) Tumusiime Bamuturaki, and the Resident District Commissioner (RDC), Lt Col James Mwesigye, told civil servants during the budget conference on Wednesday that they have no choice but to support the NRM party.

"From today, civil servants, heads of statutory boards and political leaders in the district, let’s go and mobilize for the NRM party and the leader of the party," Capt Bamuturaki said.

At this point, the district boss got agitated and made it clear to the civil servants, "If we get to know you are a civil servant and you are not supporting the NRM party and are instead decampaigning it, you will be sacked. You can try to decampaign the NRM party in the corridors but if we get to know this, you will be sacked. We have no apologies on that; you can take me to court if you get aggrieved by what I have told you."

"Why should civil servants oppose the government under which they are serving? Opposing NRM means you are opposing the government that employs you, and if you feel you are not comfortable with the government you are serving, it’s simple, quit," Capt Tumusiime said.