National Unity Platform (NUP) president Robert Ssentamu Kyagulanyi has sounded another call at unity in Uganda’s opposition politicians with emphasis that a divided opposition cannot succeed in taking power from the ruling National Resistance Movement government.
In his speech to opposition members of parliament, Kyagulanyi said the success of the “struggle to uproot Museveni” largely depends on unity within opposition and once that is achieved, the public will also take them more serious that they do now.
Also known as Bobi Wine, Kyagulanyi was speaking at the launch of the “Opposition legislative Agenda 2021-2026” -a raft of proposed business activities the opposition MPs plan to prioritize in the 11th parliament. Hosted by the Leader of the opposition (LOP), Hon Mathias Mpuuga, the event brought together leaders of several opposition political parties in the country.
“Friends, we are much weaker if we are not together and much stronger if we are together. The more we are together, does not only benefit our efforts but even the hope that our people get… So, the more we operate together, the more our chances to meet our common objective which is to remove the dictator. what unites us is much bigger than what divides us. So let’s come together friends, let’s speak together” Kyagulanyi pleaded.
Kyagulanyi said his spirits have been enlightened by events that recently happened in Zambia where the opposition leader Hakainde Hichilema defeated the incumbent Edgar Lungu and he now knows that victory is possible.
Before Kyagulanyi spoke, JEEMA president and Bugiri Municipality MP Asuman Basalirwa hinted on contempt and lack of cohesion within the opposition where parties with few representation in parliament are often treated and referred to as “small parties.” Basalirwa warned that without mutual respect among opposition players, not much will be achieved.
Similar comments came from Democratic Party (DP) Secretary General Gerald Siranda and Forum for Democratic Change (FDC)’s Erias Lukwago. Both FDC and DP are known to harbor latent hostilities with NUP arising from the 2021 general elections when the dominant opposition parties disagreed on a proposal to field a joint presidential candidate. More so, both went on to contest against each other at all levels.
Prominent FDC leaders and legislators like Semujju Nganda did not attend the event.
Lukwago, who beat NUP flagbearer in the race for Kampala City Mayor 2021-2026, Nabilah Naggayi Ssempala, was later overheard saying that he received the invite a day before the event and that he struggled to make a speech since he had little time to prepare for the event.
Led by the LOP, the opposition committed to pushing for several law reforms in the 11th parliament, targeting the conduct of elections in Uganda, protection of basic human rights, and policies for improved service delivery to citizens. Fighting corruption, improved funding to key sectors of the economy is part of the opposition agenda 2021-2026.
“I know that opposition-led committees are very very prone to corruption. Please avoid to make those committees havens for corruption. Those are not opportunities to make yourselves rich. People are watching you and of course we are watching you” Kyagulanyi said.
Kyagulanyi urged legislators to always strive to restore public confidence in parliament whose image he says remain gloom in the face of members of the public. He urged opposition MPs to perform their roles with diligence, integrity and humility so as to consolidate the support of the voters who sent them to parliament.
He said they should also be aware that the public is keenly watching and evaluating performance of the opposition in terms of service delivery, and therefore, avoid engaging in corruption or adopting a sense of comfort in their current portfolios.
