Prime
Bobi rallies Opposition in new pro-reform fight
NUP president Robert Kyagulanyi (right) and Makindye Mayor-elect Ali Nganda Mulyannyama (2nd right) hand goodies to Muslims to help them break the fast at the party offices in Kampala last Friday. PHOTO/MICHAEL KAKUMIRIZI
What you need to know:
- The NUP leader says the recently concluded election was the most violent in the history of Uganda and that the forces of change need to forge a way forward.
National Unity Platform (NUP) leader Robert Kyagulanyi, alias Bobi Wine, has reached out to all Opposition political parties to discuss the aftermath of 2021 General Election and how they can move forward.
In letters addressed to Forum for Democratic Change (FDC) president Patrick Oboi Amuriat, Alliance for National Transformation (ANT) leader Maj Gen Mugisha Muntu and the Democratic Party president general, Mr Norbert Mao, Bobi Wine noted that the recently concluded election was the most violent in the history of Uganda and that the forces of change need to forge a way forward.
“As we agreed in the past, a struggle like ours requires joint efforts by the forces of change. As we embark on a new phase, we would desire to reconnect with your leadership and discuss the way forward, including how to maximise the different fronts available for the benefit of the struggle,” one of the letters reads in part.
Mr Joel Ssenyonyi, the NUP spokesperson, yesterday told Daily Monitor that they had so far received responses from the two leaders of FDC and ANT and they have scheduled to meet them this week to take the discussions forward.
“We shall meet the FDC leadership on Tuesday this week (tomorrow). We were meant to meet with the ANT party leaders on Friday last week but we had an engagement, so that has been pushed and we are trying to see which day they are availed this week, so we can meet them,” Mr Ssenyonyi said in an interview.
Ms Alice Alaso, the head of finance and administration at ANT, said that they had received the letter and are open to meeting the NUP leadership as a gesture of working together as change-seeking forces.
Although Mr Ssenyonyi said DP had not responded, Mr Mao had acknowledged receipt of the letter while appearing on an NBS TV political show, and promised to respond to the same.
Mr John Kikonyogo, the deputy spokesperson of FDC, acknowledged receipt of the NUP letter but said he did not have details about his party’s position on the matter.
“I am sure that we received the letter but I am not privy to the contents of our response. As a party, we welcome such discussion and I will give you any information as per the letter when I get it,” he said.
Background
The 2021 General Election was marred by violence and arrests of the opposition presidential candidates. Many supporters of candidates Amuriat and Kyagulanyi died during this period allegedly at the hands of brutal security operatives.
This is not the first time the Opposition has attempted to forge a common working agenda and platform. Two days to the elections in January, Opposition political party heads met at Hotel Africana in Kampala to discuss what would happen after the elections. The details of the meeting were never made public.
