What Bobi Wine told NUP - MP elects
Former presidential candidate Robert Kyagulanyi with MPs who were elected on NUP ticket at his home in Magere, Wakiso district, yesterday. PHOTO/MICHAEL KAKUMIRIZI.
What you need to know:
- The MPs-elect introduced themselves and one-by-one pledged to remain loyal to people power movement and party leaders.
Opposition leader Robert Kyagulanyi, alias Bobi Wine, has asked the newly elected National Unity Platform lawmakers to sacrifice for the people who have given them the five-year mandate.
Bobi Wine made the call during a closed-door meeting with more than 50 MPs-elect who attended what they referred to as an inaugural caucus meeting at his Magere home in Wakiso District.
Yesterday’s meeting, according to sources, agreed to convene another high-level meeting to discuss the appointment of the next Leader of Opposition in Parliament, committee chairpersons and Shadow Cabinet members.
The meeting was chaired by Bobi Wine and attended by party Secretary General David Rubongoya and NUP deputy president in charge of the central region Mathias Mpuuga.
The Forum for Democratic Change party has had most seats in Parliament since the return of multiparty system in 2006. But in the just concluded polls, FDC got only 28 MPs against NUP’s 61.
The MPs-elect introduced themselves and one-by-one pledged to remain loyal to people power movement and party leaders.
“The main issue was on the conduct of the MPs, especially the first timers and he (Bobi Wine) was emphatic on the fact that MPs should sacrifice themselves for the people and focus on service delivery other than making themselves rich,” the source intimated to this newspaper shortly after the meeting.
“The other issue of discussion also was the strategy for the next move after the election. This will be further discussed because he didn’t divulge into details about the same,” the source added.
Majority of the MPs attended the meeting while those that missed the meeting sent in their apologies through the Secretary General, sources said.
Mr Rubongoya said the meeting was about congratulating the leaders that had gone through and letting them know that the struggle is on.
“We are having these meetings with many people including those that lost and our idea is to make them understand that they are now leaders. We shall also be meeting with those that failed to go through,” Mr Rubongoya said.
On Monday, the High Court in Kampala ordered security to vacate Bobi Wine’s home. But the security, according to what the leaders and neighbours around Bobi’s home, said left in the wee hours of yesterday morning.
Police said they would respect the court order but would continue with the close surveillance on the former Kyadondo East MP. During the meeting, a police’s low flying helicopter made several rounds around Bobi Wine’s home.
“Gen Museveni should have left that office by yesterday but because he is trying to hoodwink Ugandans, he is there. A year is too long for him to be ousted as I speak and tomorrow is too far. I charge you MPs to continue with the move that you are on,” Bobi Wine said.
He also said the issue of petitioning the election results announced by Electoral Commission to the High Court was still their option.
Bobi Wine now has only five days to make a decision on whether to go to court or not.
NUP lawyer Benjamin Katana said: “We know the court is in favour of the incumbent but if that is the option we have, the team of lawyers is ready with enough evidence.
We shall want the Judiciary to exonerate themselves from what people say that they are partisan.”
