Several purported opposition defectors to the ruling National Resistance Movement (NRM) party in Amuru district were caught off guard when they were tasked to surrender the membership cards of their former parties.
Most of the youthful defectors claimed that they were former members of the opposition Forum for Democratic Change (FDC) and National Unity Platform (NUP) political parties. They announced their purported defection at two separate events held at Pabbo and Elegu town councils respectively officiated by Bosco Odoch Olak, the head of NRM campaign team for northern Uganda on Saturday.
All was well until Olaka tasked the purported defectors to hand over the membership cards from their former political parties and attires to prove that they had indeed defected. However, none of the purported defectors had a membership card of the opposition parties they were claiming to be leaving.
Some of the new converts who were drawn from Attiak, Pabbo and Elegu town councils as well as Opara sub-county instead handed over headbands and branded opposition caps. Some of the defectors claimed that they had disposed of membership cards with the party leaders before the event, saying they had no reason to keep them.
Paska Amony, the Pabbo town council NRM vice chairperson had earlier told Olak that he wooed the youth into defecting to the NRM and that they would present credentials from their previous parties.
Olaka, who looked unconvinced was left without option but to welcome the purported defectors and asked them to rally support for President Yoweri Museveni and NRM candidates in the district. He promised the defectors jobs and skills training if they mobilize votes for Museveni to win the 2021 polls.
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