Africa-Press – Uganda. Businessman-turned-politician Calvin Echodu has promised to rebuild the connection between the National Resistance Movement (NRM) leadership in Eastern Uganda and grassroots party structures if elected as the party’s Vice Chairperson for the region.
Echodu, who officially entered the race in July after being nominated by the NRM Electoral Commission, is seeking to unseat long-serving vice chairperson Capt Mike Mukula in the elections set for Thursday.
Speaking at a press conference ahead of the polls, Echodu highlighted the lack of unity and cohesion in the region’s party structures, which he blamed on poor communication and limited interaction between leaders and the grassroots.
“The problem with Eastern Uganda is basically the office of the vice chairperson. There has been lack of connection with the grassroots structure.
There are no cohesion because there was no working relationship with the structures. For example, the vice chairperson has not met with the chairman all the last five years, and you cannot have a working arrangement when you don’t even interact with the people you are supposed to work with,” Echodu said.
He pledged to “put that bridge back” between party leaders and structures to ensure dialogue, identify challenges and agree on solutions collectively.
According to Echodu, his plan is centred on empowering grassroots NRM structures by lobbying for resources to facilitate their mobilisation work, strengthening youth involvement in the party, and pushing for economic development in Eastern Uganda.
“We want to work with the structures to make sure that the grassroots are empowered. How do we do that? By making sure they’re facilitated, given what they need to do their work of mobilisation.
And then we also want to make sure that the youth are engaged, attracted in the NRM party by recruiting them, identifying them, and making sure that they’re trained and deployed to serve the party and the country,” he explained.
He further promised to lobby for investments to create jobs and support economic initiatives such as savings groups and cooperatives to ease financial challenges at the community level.
Reflecting on his campaign, Echodu said he had traversed most parts of the country meeting NRM delegates, an exercise that left him confident of victory.
“I have travelled most of the country doing consultations and meeting NRM delegates across the country. It has been a very rewarding experience. Our message has been very simple and clear to the delegates, and we believe that the delegates have got our message, embraced, and accepted it. And we are very confident that we are going to have a resounding victory,” he noted.
He also thanked the NRM fraternity and the media for the support and warm welcome he received during his consultations.
“I think we are ready for the elections tomorrow. We have been mobilising for the past few months, and we are prepared. I want to thank all the delegates, all the chairmen, and the party structures for their work. We look forward to working with you and celebrating tomorrow together, after these elections,” Echodu said.
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