In the face of all this, those who got the card are satisfied, and are sympathetic with the party given that they have to give only one card in a position contested for by as many as five people.
Accusations of intrigue, power and money greed, compromise by the ruling National Resistance Movement (NRM), favoritism, nepotism and other accusations fraught with causing irreparable rifts within party ranks of the National Unity Platform (NUP), all rooted in the manner in which flag bearers were selected, have penetrated the leading opposition party, with several prominent members threatening to stand as independents in next year’s general elections.
Among outstanding anomalies are cases where more than one person were named in one elective position, while in other areas, aspirants for one post were given cards to stand in constituencies where they do not stay.
The team headed by chief mobilizer Fred Nyanzi Ssentamu manning the famous ‘Kunga’ groups especially in Kampala, were particularly bitter for having spent five years vigorously mobilizing for the party, only to be dropped at the last minute, with cards going to what they assumed as less important people.
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Since Saturday, Makerere-Kavule has been a bee hive of activities with the special team headed by Aisha Kabanda named to handle grievances from dissatisfied people busy trying to sort out such grievances, with many members swearing to desert NUP and stand as independent candidates.
A key area of complaints is Lubaga where almost all Nyanzi’s ‘Kunga’ team was discarded starting from the force chairman for Lubaga South, Robert Kakooza, Fatumah Nyombi who is aspiring for Mutundwe Woman Councillor’s seat, Zubeda Nakitto who was seeking election for the same position and Rose Nantambi for Kabowa.
These people allege that cards were given to people who voted for Lubaga Speaker Musa Mbaziira subscribing to the NRM, and that although officials at Kavule had promised not to give flags to these people, they turned around and gave them the cards.
However, those who got the cards argue that those complaining are doing so out of anger, noting that since the elections were through a secret ballot, nobody could know who voted for who.
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The way forward for those who missed the card:
Ssempala Kigozi Ssajjalyabeene: He was vying for Wakiso LC V chairmanship but was by press time undecided on what to do next, although he made it clear that there was foul play in dishing out the card.
“I had all requirements for getting the card but I was dismayed when it was given to Nasif Najja”, Ssajjalyabeene said, adding that he was still studying the situation before making the final decision.
Latif Ssebaggala: He earlier on predicted foul play telling from the conduct of big shots within the party, and declared that he is going to stand as an independent candidate for Kawempe mayorship.
Based in South Arabia where he was on a holy pilgrimage, Ssebaggala said he had done all that was required of him as a mayor and that giving him a card would have been unconditional.
Nakawa Mayor Paul Mugambe: “Denying me a card greatly frustrated my people and I am not yet decided on what to do next; In three days, I will have come to the final decision and I will duly inform the public my next course of action,” Mugambe said.
Kira Mayor Julius Mutebi: He is still in a state of a nightmare and said he was contemplating what to do next after the embarrassing action.
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Joseph Balikuddembe; who was seeking the Lwengo district chairmanship chair, was dismayed that all the councillors he had been moving with were denied a card. He is still considering what to do next.
Gerard Kabanda; was seeking Mityana district chairmanship; he said the yardstick used in giving out NUP cards was very obscure and inexplicable. Kabanda pinned the card distribution team for taking steps only fraught with instilling fear and anger among candidates and voters.
In the face of all this, those who got the card are satisfied, and are sympathetic with the party given that they have to give only one card in a position contested for by as many as five people.
Reasons behind losses by party big shots:
Sources in the party opine that strong people who were aligned to Nyanzi were paying the price for this as, they suggest strong people at the headquarters who are for one reason or the other disoriented with Nyanzi, made sure that whoever had an alliance with him had to lose the card.
And several councilors in KCCA admitted that they have for long been detached from voters owing to the huge debts they accumulated after taking big loans on coming into office. Some with salaries within the region of sh200,000 were not even able to buy as much as a soda for the people.
Others are blaming Nyanzi for building ‘Kunga’ membership with losers in the 2021 elections, people who have been striving to take this position to push for a comeback.