The day after People Power movement revealed a team of regional coordinators who will take lead in mobilization and recruitment ahead of 2021 general elections, details have emerged on how the announcement left many opposition politicians seething with anger.
Sabasabaupdates is reliably informed that a disagreement ensued a night before the big announcement over who-takes-what in Bobi’s mobilization team. This explains why names of some prominent politicians especially subscribers of the DP block appear on a list circulating on social media, yet they were not officially announced during the unveiling ceremony at Magere.
Insiders intimated that members of the DP block were struck off the list after a stormy meeting held a night before the big announcement was made. In the meeting, it is said a disagreement ensued after big shots in the DP block demanded for big appointments which Bobi would not risk owing to the mistrust between the two groups fuelled by the arrival of Jose Chameleon.
It is also clear that Bobi has been cautiously observing the DP block after landing Chameleon. The DP block expected Bobi to welcome Chameleon with open hands which was not the case. This did not go down well with leaders of the block who regard themselves as being closer to People Power than any other political group.
Bobi Wine has maintained a cautious relationship with the DP block right way from its inception, but the arrival of Chameleon soured the frosty relationship. Insiders say DP block leaders including Dr. Abed Bwanika, Sam Lubega Mukaaku, and Micheal Mabike wanted to take up bigger positions on the People Power coordinators team, something that rattled Bobi and his group leading to a stalemate.
In the same meeting, Bobi is said to have stood his ground and refused to succumb to pressure from leaders of the DP block who expected Bobi to back down thinking they still had a higher stake in Bobi’s decisions.
The outcome was Bobi Wine making a big decision to let go of the group hoping they will make up their mind and join him along the way.
This explains the late amendments that were made to the list that saw Sam Lubega Mukaaku’s name replaced by Lafif Sebbagala as one of the coordinators in Metropolitan Kampala. Another name that was introduced late to the final list was Hamdan Ssemugooma, another coordinator for Kampala Metropolitan.
These amendments now explain the contradictions appearing in the initial list circulating on social media (one that has names of Abed Bwanika and LubegaMukaaku both top leaders in the DP block), and the amended list.
You will realize that the same list includes Dr. Abed Bwanika whose name missed out during the official announcement by Joel Ssenyonyi the People Power National spokesperson as captured live on TV.
Insider information from the DP block indicates that top leaders are seething with anger over what they now regard as betrayal from Bobi Wine. This state of affairs however did not start after the big announcement from Magere.
Insiders say; the relationship between Bobi and leaders of the DP block developed hiccups severalmonths ago, and Bobi has been trying to disassociate himself from the group to the extent that he often turned down their appointments.
This partly explains Bobi’s continued show of respect for Dr. Kiiza Besigye despite the open disapproval and hatred by the leadership of DP block.
Response from DP block
Sabasabaupdates has reached out for a comment from the DP block but it seems they have opted to take the bitter pill and give Bobi’s decision some good time.
“We were consulted over how our leaders can be involved into Bobi’s team, but it was our decision that our principals meet later for a final decision” said a key source in the DP block.
Information that is yet to be confirmed also indicate that the disagreement between the two groups might have influenced a last-minute decision by management of Pope Paul Hotel to refund money that People Power had paid for booking the venue forcing People Power to hastily shift it to Bobi’s home in Magere.
People Power had approached several hotels around Kampala including Hotel Africana and Pope Paul Memorial Hotel to host the event, only to get a last minute notification that their offer had been withdrawn.
However, management of Pope Paul say their decision was prompted by a Police directive, and based on an experience when a meeting convened by politicians was dispersed for failure to comply with POMA, which resulted into damages to property as Police battled defiant politicians.