Mao launches Mbabazi campaigns

Democratic party president Norbert Mao addresses a rally at Kaunda Grounds in Gulu Municipality at the weekend. PHOTO BY JULIUS OCUNGI

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Reason. Mr Mao says former premier Amama Mbabazi will deliver change, something the Opposition has failed to achieve for the last 15 years

Gulu.

Democratic Party president Norbert Mao has rallied the people in Acholi sub-region to support former premier Amama Mbabazi. Mr Mbabazi is set to face off with former ally President Museveni, the NRM’s sole candidate and FDC’s Dr Kizza Besigye for presidency.

Mr Mao told a crowd at Kaunda Grounds in Gulu Municipality at the weekend that Mr Mbabazi was not only a suitable candidate to carry the Opposition coalition flag into the 2016 election, but would deliver change in government, a struggle the Opposition has failed to achieve for the past 15 years.

“Let us give chance to Mr Mbabazi. He is not our enemy. He was recently baptised with teargas as a new recruit into the Opposition. We know where he came from and the game he plays in Opposition,” Mr Mao said.

Mr Mbabazi in June declared his desire to stand for presidency in the 2016 general election on the NRM ticket.
The past weeks have seen Mr Mbabazi court Opposition political parties which signed a protocol under The Democratic Alliance (TDA) to choose a joint candidate by consensus. While that was not achieved, it appeared that Mr Mbabazi was the majority’s favourite against Dr Besigye.

Five members of TDA; DP, PPP, UPC, UFA and Go Forward supported Mr Mbabazi’s candidature, while the Conservative Party and FDC supported Dr Besigye.

At the weekend rally where Mr Mao was heroically welcomed for winning a second term as DP president, he said his party has previously been accommodative of persons and parties with a vision of changing the political landscape in the country and the moment was for Mr Mbabazi.

“We also welcomed Dr Kizza Besigye sometime back, he was just from President Museveni’s hands together with his wife. This is what we should embrace, that people with capability of changing the politics of the country be given a chance,” Mr Mao said.The DP leader said the Opposition needs to have a sharp shooter who cannot miss the target.

He added that Mbabazi’s grand entry to the east last month for consultative meetings in the towns of Mbale and Soroti had projected him as a politician of worth.

“What you don’t know but you feel is good should be given a priority but what you know but you feel is not good is definitely not good. I urge the people in Acholi who are still holed up in the Museveni regime to be wise, and give a chance to Mr Mbabazi,” Mr Mao said.

Mr Mao boasted that among all the four aspirants for the TDA flag, he was the most capable choice but he chose to do the noble thing and stand down so as to allow Mr Mbabazi lead the Opposition’s alliance. Other aspirants were former vice president Gilbert Bukenya, Dr Besigye and Mr Mbabazi.

“I asked some of the candidates (for the TDA flag) why they should not allow me go for that position. When I asked Prof Bukenya about our fate, because somehow we had been underlooked, he predicted Mbabazi (would win), and I asked him, ‘why not Dr Besigye? He plainly told me, ‘a player who has failed (to score) penalty kicks three times can no longer be trusted,” said Mr Mao.

Using punch lines and anecdotes, Mr Mao said: “A bad person who has reformed is better than an angel that has gone back to sin.” “For this case, we shall not allow anyone like that,” he said, adding that the matter of who to support will be discussed by the leaders in the subregion. Gulu Municipality Mayor and former Municipality NRM chairperson George Labeja said it was time to go forward with the Opposition TDA’s favourite candidate to cause change in the management of State affairs.