Kampala — LOSERS in the National Resistance Movement primaries who intend to stand as independent's are seeking audience with President Yoweri Museveni.

Daily Monitor has learnt that the group, including ministers, met on Friday at Parliamentary buildings in the South Committee room and resolved to meet the President.

They are insisting that they will stand as independents but the President who is the chairman of the party should understand their position.

Museveni has made it clear that those who lost would be expelled from the party if they dare stand as independents.

The party constitution provides that a loser in any primaries within the party joins hands with the winner to campaign for the party candidate.

The constitution provides sanctions against a member who stands as an independent candidate after losing in the primaries and supporting a candidate floated by a rival party.

Simon Mayende, the State Minister for Higher Education, and Member of Parliament for Samia Bugwe South, attended the Friday meeting.

Mayende said they had agreed to write a memorandum and seek audience with the President after realising they were being misunderstood.

"Our position has not been articulated. We want to give our side of the story. There was outright thuggery that took place in some places. The people are annoyed and some of our supporters are threatening to throw away the party cards," Mayende said.

He said the party risked to lose if those who were "rigged out" did not stand.

"So we are standing to save the party from losing supporters. This is our middle ground," he said. He said the rigging blotted the party's image. "We want to explain this to the President. He has been told many lies."

Among the about 60 people who attended, were MPs; Avitus Tibarimbasa (Ndorwa West), Francis Mukama (Kigulu North), John Richard Bulamu (Luuka), John Eresu (Kaberamaido) and Louis Opange (Pallisa). The planners had targeted 100.

Mayende said in his constituency non-members of the party were allowed to vote, polling stations shifted, outright intimidation and detention of some members, locking out of rightful voters from voting and reports to the party electoral commission yielded no results.

He said he declined to stand after realising the illegal schemes in advance. He said he would stand as independent come the parliamentary elections.

"I am doing this to safeguard the interest of the party. If the party decides to ostracise me, they have their right. I will consult my constituency.

Opange confirmed he attended the Friday meeting but said he had little faith in a meeting with the President

"I don't expect much from that meeting. My bosses are the electorate. They are the ones urging me to stand."

He said there were no elections in his constituency and that he just heard former police boss John Cossy Odomel being declared winner. "We sent a petition to the (party electoral) commission. but it has not been attended to."

The mood at the meeting, according to sources who declined to be named, was defiant, many expressing willingness to swallow the bitter pill if the party decided to expel them.

President Yoweri Museveni has indicated those who lost but remain committed to the party by not standing would be rewarded.

The party has already co-opted them on the campaign task forces at different levels.