The MK movement, a controversial pressure group in Uganda, has announced a transition to a new political formation and adopted a new name -The Patriotic League of Uganda.
The new development was unveiled today as the group formed in April 2022, and has been coalescing political support for Gen. Muhoozi Keinerugaba, launched its offices in Nagulu within the country’s capital Kampala.
Gen. Muhoozi Keinerugaba is the son of the incumbent president Yoweri Museveni who has ruled Uganda for 38 years. Worse still, Gen. Muhoozi Keinerugaba commonly addressed by initials “MK” is still a serving army officer who by law is prohibited from participating in partisan politics.
Reliable sources have confirmed that the new formation currently unfolding as a civil organization has already been registered as a political party in readiness to compete on Ugandans political stage. When contacted for a comment over the matter, the MK National Vice Chairman (Central) Frank Gashumba, refuted this claim and said PLU remains a pressure group and not a political party.
During the launch, the PLU Head of External Affairs Micheal Katungi defined the party’s commitment to peace, freedom, unity security, Equality, Social justice and Solidarity as ideals that define PLU’s ideology. He also noted that the organization principles are routed in Patriotism, Democratic & family values, and profound love for the country.
The document issued during the launch highlights the PLU objectives as; reviving patriotism through mobilizing and empowering citizens towards the goal of national unity, peace and stability but also building a sustainable foundation for independence, sovereignty and social development in Uganda.
“We undertake that the Patriotic League of Uganda will contribute in civil capacity towards mobilizing Ugandans to fulfill their civic duties as citizens of this land for the benefit of society as a whole, and to jealously guard the unique natural and social harmony that makes Uganda” the document reads in part.
Ever since it’s inception, the MK movement has operated as a political grouping with its leaders opening branches across the country and emphasizing determination to front Gen. Muhoozi Keinerugaba in the upcoming presidential election. This behavior has been contested in courts of law specifically on contravention with provisions in the law that prohibit serving army officers from party politics.
In the document, however, the Patriotic League of Uganda presents itself as a non-partisan, non-denominational and non-sectarian organization.
“We commit to ensure that the Patriotic League of Uganda’s efforts towards reviving patriotism will remain non-partisan, non-denominational and non-sectarian.” It adds.
“We the MK movement hereby proclaim that the aforementioned objects to be a manifest precondition for the independence, sovereignty and development of Uganda; and in furtherance of the above, we hereby constitute ourselves into a civil organization and assume and adopt a new name and identity the “Patriotic League of Uganda” with an aim of working towards revivi Ugandans spirit of good citizenship, national pride, national service, protection of vulnerable persons, combating corruption and wastage of national resources, and protection of the environment” the document future states.