Meanwhile, PFF Secretary-General, the Kira Municipality MP Ibrahim Ssemujju Nganda expresses the view that among those standing against the incumbent, Kyagulanyi is the best candidate to replace Museveni.
Independents and candidates whose parties did not name a presidential candidate are currently held between a rock and a hard place, as voters are relentlessly pestering them to name which presidential candidate they support.
While many are answering in a tongue-in-the-cheek manner, some are undecided on who to support for president while others are saying they are still in consultations. The most hard-hit politicians are those subscribing to the Uganda People’s Congress (UPC), Democratic Front (DF), People’s Front for Freedom (PFF) and Democratic Party (DP).
Although Kimaanya-Kabonera legislator, Dr. Abed Bwanika was at first reluctant to give his view, saying he would answer after Kyagulanyi’s completion of the Masaka round, finally yielded to pressure and declared his support for NUP’s Robert Kyagulanyi.
While meeting his supporters in Kyanjale ward, Dr. Abed Bwanika, in his own words declared that he has no problem with Kyagulanyi. “During his Masaka campaign round, he never for once attacked me, and in any case, he is standing for president while I am standing as an MP, and I have no problem with you people voting for him”, Bwanika said amid ululations from his listeners.
Bwanika backtracked from his December 2024 statement at Namirembe when he stated that he would never support Kyagulanyi because he has connections to single sex unions; he sounded so determined that he said that even if it meant losing his parliamentary seat, he was ready to lose it rather than retaining it while supporting Kyagulanyi.
Some opinion think that Bwanika’s change of heart may have come after a serious study of the ground, and establishing that this may be his avenue to getting rid of Patrick Kuteesa, the NUP candidate standing against him.
On the side of the PFF, their leader, Lord Mayor Ssalongo Erias Lukwago has always maintained that as a party, they are in talks with the ANT and NUP to identify a common candidate to support, reasoning that they do not wish to destroy the programmes of the struggle.
Meanwhile, PFF Secretary-General, the Kira Municipality MP Ibrahim Ssemujju Nganda expresses the view that among those standing against the incumbent, Kyagulanyi is the best candidate to replace Museveni. He says this is the reason he agreed to serve as the finance shadow cabinet in the Kyagulanyi-led opposition.
JEEMA’s Asuman Basalirwa said they have failed to come up with a candidate to support, with some supporting Museveni and others Kyagulanyi. In the party meeting at TAL cottages in Lubaga recently, the result indicated mixed feelings between the two men.
However, JEEMA Women’s wing Secretary Salima Lunkuse apportions the blame on the party for not having named a candidate at presidential level, saying this is what has placed them in an impasse.
However, Basalirwa went further that he was amazed that Kyagulanyi, an old-time political pal, decided to name a candidate to run against him although he added, they were very close in 2021.
As for UPC, following failure to name a presidential candidate owing to internal bickering, some members are for Museveni while others are for Kyagulanyi. Party President Jimmy Akena said they have not come out with a single candidate to support, but expressed pessimism over support for Museveni.
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Some Langi leaders said Akena has no authority to decide for them, and expressed support for the incumbent, NRM’s Yoweri Museveni.
Akena’s wife who is the Gender Minister, parted ways with her husband and as she campaigns for her votes, she also scouts around for support to his boss Museveni.
The Democratic Party (DP), which many believe is in a rag tag leadership, is haunted with an ever-weakening support, with each member taking his own decisions following lack of centralized and binding leadership to which they pay allegiance.
The Deputy chairman Fred Mukasa Mbidde who is aspiring to represent Buweekula in Mubende district, openly affirms that he is supportive of President Museveni.
While Mbidde states that the alliance between DP and NRM is one of the self-telling achievements with which they are proud of, Fred Kayondo the Mukono South MP says he supports Kyagulanyi, and expresses the hope that Kyagulanyi himself supports him (Kayondo). Youthful Robert Maseruka is the NUP flag bearer in Mukono South.
Kyagulanyi was recently frustrated on his way to Mukono South to bless Maseruka but was held up by time following security barriers imposed on him in the way, leading to his delay.
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