By KT Reporter
When he last week appeared on NBS’ Barometer debate, moderator Adam Kungu asked Bobi Wine why he was fronting non-Bagandas to stand for MP positions in already politically liberated constituencies in Buganda region.
He cited Kampala central where Bobi Wine is fronting David Lewis Rubongoya and Nakawa east where he is bringing Waisswa Mufumbiro Alex.
Bobi Wine didn’t even pretend about this. He inadvertently confirmed these had been confirmed that these two good friends of his had been deployed and blessed to take up these seats even before party primaries are held to subject them to any competition.
Not even Museveni can exercise such dictatorship and autocracy in NRM regarding who the flag bearers in any competitive constituencies will be before primary elections is held. Yet in NUP, as we now know, it’s normal. It’s standard practice.
It’s the principal to decide who stands where. In NRM, Museveni would at least pretend by saying it’s too early to know who will be the flag bearer and that the relevant party organs will decide that. Something like that.
By admitting that his two friends will carry NUP flag for Nakawa and Kampala central, Bobi Wine inadvertently spoke about the state of internal democracy in his party.
He defended the choice of Mufumbiro for Nakawa east and Rubongoya for Kampala central on grounds that Abed Bwanika, who is leading such protest voices, is a traitor who has always been resentful and has no moral authority to comment on the NUP business.
He added that there was nothing strange about NUP prioritizing and using areas where its popular to empower non-Baganda politicians because even the Kabaka has over the years had non-Bagandas serving as influential ministers in his cabinet based at Mengo.
Kyagulanyi, who was tense and bellicose throughout the NBS interview as if Kungu was his co-wife, didn’t give names but over the years these have included City Oil and Cafe Javas tycoon Omar Mandela, tycoon Mohammood Thoban and others.
The NUP principal added that merit and capability was more important than where one comes from. He also explained that Rubongoya and Waisswa are men of great abilities whose political mobilisation talent and loyalty he, as NUP party boss, badly needs to have in the 12th Parliament to consolidate on the gains LoP Joel Ssenyonyi has registered.
He said he was very proud of the resolve and integrity with which Joel Ssenyonyi has so far led-and its his desire to use the 2026 elections to boost him with many such like-minded actors whose list he said has the likes of Alex Waisswa Mufumbiro, Rubongoya and others.
Asserting that the constitution of Uganda allows anyone to stand anywhere for Parliamentary seats, Bobi Wine also made reference to his own example saying he stood in Kyadondo east in 2017 and not Gomba which is his birthplace and ancestral home.
He made it clear that there is nothing wrong with Rubongoya or Mufumbiro standing in Buganda/Kampala just like it was all okay for him, a born of Gomba, to stand in Kyadondo east where he only came or migrated to for work. This point demonstrates the political philosopher Bobi Wine has grown into when it comes to despising tribalism and politics of ethnicity.
One only hopes that Kyagulanyi’s reasoning on this issue will help put in line thousands of his own foot soldiers who like to fight and reject all westerners simply because that’s where the much-hated president Museveni hails from. Give us feedback on this story through our email: kamwokyatimes@gmail.com
