Rtd Maj Gen Matayo Kyaligonza
The National Resistance Movement (NRM) Party Vice Chairperson- Western Region, Rtd Maj Gen Matayo Kyaligonza is set to face off with Chris Baryomunsi, the Kinkizi East MP in the hotly contested position currently held by the controversial General.
However, Baryomunsi, who doubles as Minister of State for Urban Housing has vowed to deal with the Kyaligonza if he dares to exhibit his renowned violent conduct in the race.
Addressing journalists at Parliament after his nomination at the NRM Secretariat, Baryomunsi said that although, Kyaligonza is a famed violent man, he will use his academic knowledge to deal with his conduct.
Asked by journalists how he intends to deal with Kyaligonza, Baryomunsi noted, “At what level will he become violent to me? If he becomes violent, I am not violent but I know how to manage violent people, so that doesn’t scare me at all.”
He added: “We don’t need violent people to be in positions of leadership within the party because it is that kind of violent behavior that actually pushes out Ugandans from NRM.”
Baryomunsi said that the NRM needs leaders who are approachable, accessible, who can command respect and who can persuade even those who are hostile to NRM to join.
“So that kind of violent behavior isn’t wanted within the leadership of the party because it becomes a challenge for us if we exhibit that kind of behavior. If he is belligerent, I am a trained professional counselor, I will counsel him, to cease being violent and maybe get onto the behaviour that can moblise people differently,” said Baryomunsi.
While announcing his candidature, Baryomunsi said that NRM requires strong leaders to do party moblisation, adding that he adds a lot of value in the party and his age comes at a demographic advantage to bridge the gap between past and future.
Asked what he will do if asked to step aside for Kyaligonza like was the case in 2015, Baryomunsi called for democracy within the party, saying it should be left for voters to decide.
In February 2019, (Rtd) Maj Gen Kyaligonza, who also doubles as Uganda’s ambassador to Burundi was captured on a video camera assaulting a traffic officer, Sergeant Esther Namaganda who had stopped them from making a u-turn in the middle of Jinja-Kampala Highway in Seeta-Mukono.
However, despite High Court in Mukono sending out arrest warrants to have Kyaligonza arrested after Namaganda had filed the assault charges, Kyaligonza has never been arrested.
