By Dean Lubowa Saava
In a landmark move, the National Resistance Movement (NRM) of Uganda and Kenya’s ruling party, the United Democratic Alliance (UDA), have signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) to promote political cooperation and strengthen ties between the two nations.
The agreement was signed on Saturday at the NRM headquarters, following days of dialogue between the two parties.
NRM Secretary General, Rt. Hon. Richard Todwong, and his UDA counterpart, Senator Hassan Omar, led the delegations in the signing ceremony.
Todwong emphasized that the MOU would enable the two parties to consolidate their relations, explore new ways to enhance ties, and increase high-level exchange visits and sharing of experiences.
“We cherish our friendship with our Kenyan neighbors and view Kenya as a reliable friend and good partner,” Todwong said. “Guided by this MOU, our party-to-party relations will have a more in-depth development.”
Senator Omar expressed UDA’s interest in learning from NRM’s strategies and experiences, particularly in consolidating their stay in leadership for nearly four decades.
“We came here to search for knowledge, ideas, and share experiences on how we can move forward as brothers in Uganda and Kenya, and progressively towards the realization of the East African Federation,” Omar said.
The meeting was attended by prominent NRM leaders, including Hon. Lydia Wanyoto, Party Women’s Chairperson, and Hon. James Tweheyo, Chairperson Workers League.
The UDA delegation also met with President Gen (Rtd) Yoweri Kaguta Museveni at State House, Entebbe, on Friday.
The six-day visit by the UDA delegation aimed to foster cooperation and understanding between the two parties, and the MOU signing marks a significant milestone in their relationship.
As Maj. Pollar Awich, NRM’s Director for External Affairs, noted, “We have learned a lot from the discussions and hope to integrate them into our operations.”
