Sunrise: Politics

At the recently concluded NRM national delegates conference, Retired Captain Daudi Ruhinda Maguru's decision to stand against President Yoweri Museveni for the chairmanship and hence flag bearer of the party took many by surprise.

Of course, he wasn't the first one to try to cast himself as a fearless unbwogable contender ready to take the fight to the almighty leader of the NRM.

Indeed many were quick to dismiss Ruhinda Maguru as a mere joker while others referred to the little-known retired soldier as an indisciplined cadre intending to take the shine off the revolutionary leader many would want to go through unopposed.

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Claiming to have a clearer vision, President Yoweri Museveni has hinted his next government could take up a more active role in development especially in critical areas where the private sector has not performed as expected.

Once hailed by western powers as a true capitalist for his adoption of nearly unfettered liberalism,

A conference organized for NRM youth leaders in Kampala on Friday February 19 ended in chaos amidst accusations that the main organizer who is also a State House employee had pocketed money that was meant to transport an estimated 500 participants.

Like almost elsewhere across the country, the political temperature in Kampala is beginning to rise again as the 2011 general elections draw closer. But this year round, the race looks likely to have more colour not seen in many years past.

The Sunrise  exclusively reveals that Arvind Patel, a Ugandan businessman of Asian origin has declared his intention to compete with the incumbent Erias Lukwago and several others for the Kampala central seat in the forthcoming  9th Parliament. Akol Amazima talked to him and below are exerpts.

Patel (pictured) 55 has lived in Uganda since 1981 and is no stranger to Uganda's politics. He is the current Treasurer of the National Entrepreneurship League of the powerful ruling NRM and is a member of Uganda National Chamber of Commerce and Industry.