2021: Bobi asks Muntu, Besigye to support him

Kyadondo East MP Robert Kyagulanyi, alias Bobi Wine (2nd right), unveils members of the secretariat ahead of the 2021 General Election at his offices in Kamwokya, Kampala, on Tuesday. PHOTO | MICHAEL KAKUMIRIZI

The People Power Movement, a key player in talks to field a single Opposition candidate in the 2021 General Election, has asked Opposition leaders to rally behind their candidate.

Giving updates on the Opposition talks for a possible coalition ahead of the polls, the People Power executive secretary, Mr David Lewis Rubongoya, who spoke with permission from Mr
Robert Kyagulanyi, aka, Bobi Wine, the leader of People Power, said all odds are in favour of Bobi Wine.

He said other Opposition leaders in the race should, therefore, rally behind him to remove President Museveni, the incumbent and likely NRM ruling party candidate, from power before they go back to their parties.

“Opinion polls and statistics are showing that Bobi Wine is ahead of all the Opposition politicians in Uganda. We have been interesting them to come on board and back him and we chase the man (President Museveni) away then they would be free to go back to their political parties,” Mr Rubongoya said.

“We have a big coalition as People Power already and we hope that those that are interested could join us but not us joining them. We reached out to all political parties and they told us that they had to go through processes of their parties’ constitutions which we obliged.
For us we have to keep moving as a revolution and others could get us along the way,” he added.

Mr Rubongoya, however, did not give details of the alleged opinion poll and statistics that put Bobi Wine ahead of other Opposition leaders.

On June 24, Lt Gen Henry Tumukunde, the former Security minister, asked the Opposition to front one candidate against President Museveni.

Lt Gen Tumukunde, who is battling treason and illegal possession of fire arms charges, said the discussion on the plan to form a coalition has already started.

He said he had held meetings over the same issue with former FDC party president Kizza Besigye, Bobi Wine and Maj Gen Mugisha Muntu, the coordinator of the ANT party.
When asked about the possibility of a joint candidate, Mr Rubongoya conferred with Mr Bobi Wine, saying they have resorted to “a coalition of the interested.”

Gen Muntu on Tuesday said his party was not fronting a single Opposition candidate as a priority in the struggle to make the change in the next election, but would continue holding talks.

“Bobi Wine announced himself as presidential aspirant last year, we met him and we discussed that that is fine if it is a tool for mobilising more people. My view is different from many Opposition leaders. I think the issue of a candidate should come last after many other issues. If we got a candidate, how shall we be able to back him when we do not have structures?” Gen Muntu asked.

FDC president Patrick Oboi Amuriat said his party was closer with Dr Besigye, and they would only back Bobi Wine if he joins them.

Meanwhile, Bobi Wine has released his electoral roadmap in which he asked people interested in contesting on the People Power ticket to formally write to the pressure group’s electoral committee headed by Ms Mercy Nalukamba.

“All interested aspirants will be vetted by the committee before they are allowed to take part in the election on the ticket. We have noticed that there are many people in the same area who are interested,” Mr Samuel Lubega, the deputy chairman of People Power Movement, said.

Mr Aloysius Matovu, one of the aspirants, said: “We are about six of us who want the ticket for my constituency of Rubaga East but if the committee finds out that I am not the favourite, I will have to step down. I am one of the people that agree that there should be some kind of vetting because we are overcrowding in positions and yet belong to the same political entity.”

TALKS ONGOING
Earlier, Bobi Wine admitted to holding talks with different players. “The talks are still on and we hope that at some point we come together to deliver this country out of the hands of the dictator. But like I already said, I am going to challenge Mr Museveni,” he said.

The FDC is currently in talks with the four-time contender, Dr Besigye to stand as their flagbearer. Gen Muntu was declared unopposed to represent ANT in the forthcoming elections.
More contenders are likely to join the race for the highest office in the land. The ruling NRM party is also expected to confirm President Museveni as their sole candidate in the General Election.