2021 elections: Bobi Wine unveils political party

Kampala, Uganda | THE INDEPENDENT | Robert Kyagulanyi Ssentamu has announced that his People Power movement has morphed into a political party, the National Unity Party.

Speaking at his People Power secretariat in Kamwokya on Wednesday morning, Kyagulanyi said for the last two years they have been in negotiations with the National Unity, Reconciliation and Development Party under Moses Kibalama Nkonge when it became apparent that it was impossible for them to register a new party.

Kibalama said when Kyagulanyi reached out to them, they realized that he had the same aspirations as those of their party. He said Kyagulanyi taking over the presidency of the party is a dream come true for them.

In the past, Kyagulanyi has scoffed at the idea of forming a political party reasoning that he needs not to be in any political party for him to espouse his political views. He argued then that Uganda with 29 registered political parties, they had failed to change leadership from the ruling National Resistance Movement.

But today, he said it was important for them to have a political party in order to participate in the coming elections with one symbol for everyone contesting under their umbrella. Kyagulanyi said he was alive to the fact that the political environment in the country is very hostile to political parties but nevertheless having a political party is the only meaningful way to have a say over those who will contest on their ticket in the 2021 elections.

The party has the umbrella as their symbol. “Our view has been that we maintain People Power as a political movement that brings all Ugandans from different political formations advocating and struggling for change. Our mission has been and continues to be mission 2021. We have been telling people to register and vote. We know that is the only legal opportunity to overwhelm the Museveni dictatorship,”Kyagulanyi said.

He revealed that having realized that they would never be registered as a new political party early enough for them to participate in the next election, they decided to work silently to identify a party they can use as vehicle towards 2021. That’s how they zeroed down on the 16 year-old-National Unity, Reconciliation and Development Party.

Both Kyagulanyi and Kibalama don’t reveal which kind of deal they agreed upon for him to take over the party. However, Kibalama who has been the President of the party for 16 years on July 14, stepped down and a delegate’s conference attended by 60 members at Kakiri hotel elected Kyagulanyi unopposed as the new president.

The Party also agreed to change the name from National Unity, Reconciliation and Development Party to National Unity Platform [NUP]. David Lewis Rubongoya, the People Power secretary general will serve the same role in NUP. On what will be the fate of people who belong to other political parties but embraced People Power, Kyagulanyi said they are still in conversation with the parties.

He said the fate of over 10,000 people who had expressed interest in standing in the next elections using People Power will be determined by the discussion with their mother parties.

“We have been having engagements with other comrades to ensure that we have a People Power alliance, we shall continue with that and the details will be explained by the Election Management Committee that we put in place,” Kyagulanyi said.

Francis Zaake, the Mityana municipality MP welcomed the development saying he was happy to be part of the formation.

Mathias Mpuuga, the Masaka municipality MP, said it was vital for People Power to have a political party to support its followers.

Latif Ssebaggala, the Kawempe North Member of Parliament couldn’t hide his excitement at the development.

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