Sources close to NUP boss disclosed that in a period of only one week, four MPs and other party executives outside parliament have made attempts to ‘smile’ at Kyagulanyi to win his favour for the post, while some have allegedly ‘begged’ a top NUP legislator at the whims of the boss to throw in a word for them.
In what seems to be a calculated development following formation of a new political pressure group by the former National Unity Platform (NUP) Buganda Vice Chairperson, Mathias Mpuuga recently, a number of party bigwigs are said to have begun clandestinely warming to replace the Nyendo Mukungwe legislator.
Those said to have so far overtly or covertly declared their wish to replace Mpuuga include Mukono Municipality MP Betty Nambooze Bakireke, Butambala MP Muwanga Kivumbi who is also the chairman of the Buganda Parliamentary Caucus, Makindye Division Mayor Ali Mulyannyama, Kalungu West Mp Joseph Gonzaga Ssewungu, Masaka City Mayor Florence Namayanja, Kassanda North MP Patrick Nsamba and Mityana Municipality MP Francis Zaake.
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The genesis of Mpuuga’s troubles was his expulsion from the Leader of Opposition in Parliament (LOP) and replacement by Joel Ssenyonyi last year, and in March this year, he was fired as NUP Buganda Vice Chairperson and as parliamentary commissioner for allegedly masterminding a move where he walked away with sh500m. In NUP, the money was considered a bribe while Mpuuga maintains it was a ‘hand shake’ for a job well done.
Mpuuga’s stand on the NUP expulsion is that it is a nullity because it is ill grounded and baseless as he maintains, he never took any bribe as alleged. He avers that he is still the NUP vice president for Buganda until a delegates conference decides otherwise.
Attempts by NUP leader Robert Kyagulanyi Ssentamu aka ‘Bobi Wine’ to name Mityana Municipality ‘s Francis Zaake as commissioner hit a deadlock when Speaker Anita Among informed him that Mpuuga is now answerable to parliament as commissioner, until his term elapses.
Sources close to NUP boss disclosed that in a period of only one week, four MPs and other party executives outside parliament have made attempts to ‘smile’ at Kyagulanyi to win his favour for the post, while some have allegedly ‘begged’ a top NUP legislator at the whims of the boss to throw in a word for them.
What Supporters Say
Supporters for Muwanga Kivumbi for the big post argue that since he is already the Buganda caucus chief, it will be an easy task for him to take ahead the task of mobilising support for the party within the same boundaries.
They further argue that the three terms in parliament, his leadership at the Uganda Young Democrats (UYD) and Nkobazambogo gave him enough training to traverse the region in NUP’s interests.
Nambooze is an outspoken woman leader of experience, and her decision to dump Mpuuga as he was dangling in the midst of the sh500m saga, all make her a shining candidate for the Buganda Vice Presidency. They argue further that Kyagulanyi’s decision to advise party lawyer George Musisi against standing against Nambooze as Mukono Municipality MP, draws her near to the leader.
Makindye mayor Mulyannyama is known for his valour in mobilising support and supporters say he will do a good job if assigned to do former Mpuuga’s duty as Buganda Vice President.
Although Gonzaga Ssewungu (Kalungu West) and Mpuuga both hail from Buddu, he decided to distance himself from his colleague early enough when the sh500m scandal took roots and this portrays him, among supporters, as a clean capable leader to deputise Kyagulanyi in Buganda.
Supporters of Masaka Municipality Mayor Florence Namayanja view her as a potential artillery missile to completely put Mpuuga out of action, basing on the fact that she knows him in and out since they both come from the same region.
They further argue that she is endowed with an admirable sense of mobilisation, never mind that she is not among the celebrated speakers the country boasts of.
Kassanda North MP Patrick Nsamba Oshabe is among the initial NUP supporters to ally with Kyagulanyi in the early days of the party and according to those wishing to field him as a candidate for the Buganda Vice Presidency, he is not a self-seeker.
And Mityana Municipality MP Zaake is an unquestionable militant, determined, no nonsense NUP cadre; supporters are of the view that today’s politics has surpassed the level of diplomacy and calls for people of Zaake’s muscle. They think the time for sweet talk has ended and it is now time for flexing muscles. He is the NUP whip in parliament.
What People Say
Saddam Hussein Lubwama: “Nambooze is the best candidate because she has been in leadership for a long time and she is a good deliberator.”
Muzafar Lubinga: “Muwanga Kivumbi is both consistent and persistent and it is not easy to compromise or derail him.”
Nansana Central Division Mayor Joseph Matovu: “Kivumbi is a time tested politician with a long standing experience in opposition matters. He diligently handled the UCDA rationalization issue and it further portrayed him as a capable leader.”
However, the Deputy spokesperson for NUP Waiswa Mufumbiro said naming a new Buganda Vice President is not the most urgent issue of the moment, and added that at the right time, Ugandans will be updated of any new development on the issue.