NUP unveils flag bearer for Hoima LCV by-election

The National Unity Platform (NUP) has fronted its secretary for youths in the western region, Mr Moses Aguda, as their flag bearer in the forthcoming Hoima by-election to fill the LCV chairman seat that fell vacant after the death of Kadiri Kirungi who perished in a road crash on March 17.

While unveiling Mr Aguda at the NUP headquarters on Wednesday, the party president, Mr Robert Kyagulanyi alias Bobi Wine noted that although the recent by-elections have been marred by malpractices, NUP will continue to participate in all sorts of elections because it is a good mobilization channel for the party.

“We all know that elections in Uganda are compromised by the regime, and it is intended to ensure that people reach a point of giving up on participating in elections. To our people in Hoima, we are coming, we don’t care whether Mr Aguda will be declared a winner or not, but people should be ready to receive the message of change and liberation from the current regime,” he noted.

Mr Aguda urged the people of Hoima not to look at this by-election as a national election and therefore, be ready to guard the NUP victory jealously from the campaigns to the tally centre.

“Opposition has won several elective positions in Hoima during the previous elections but a few have been declared due to cases of malpractice. But we have mastered the tricks they have been using to rig our victory and they will not work in this by-election,” he said.

Among others, Mr Aguda promised that on winning the district Chairman Seat, he will start with strategies to end rampant land grabbing, harsh fishing conditions on the lake and inequality in the allocation of jobs in the ongoing oil mining project in the Albertine region.

Mr Joel Ssenyonyi, the NUP spokesperson said the flagbearer has been tested and proven as the best candidate for the party.

“Aguda has been our leader in the Western region and we are sure that he fully understands the challenges of the people of Bunyoro. We have hopes that he will not let down his party and the people of Bunyoro in this struggle,” he said.

In the September 14 by-election, Mr Aguda will face off with other candidates from other political parties including the ruling National Resistance Movement (NRM) which will announce its flagbearer Friday after the scheduled party primary election.

The seven candidates competing for the NRM LCV party flag include; Mr Uthuman Mugisha Mubarak who is the son of the deceased chairperson. Others are; Mr Vicent Savanna Muhumuza, Mr John Kwemara, Mr Samuel Kyakadongo, Mr Mosese Mutagwa and Mr Yunus Mugabe.

Meanwhile, the party leadership has launched a countrywide tour starting next week in Mbarara City, where they are expected to be addressing people about the party plans and also open new party offices in various parts of the country.

“Having galvanized our support the world over, we are back on the ground and we are going to carry out a nationwide tour. We will be addressing the people of Uganda because it is within the law, therefore, we shall not fear,” Mr Kyagulanyi said.