By KT Reporter
The National Unity Platform (NUP) has urged its leaders to unite and challenge the National Resistance Movement (NRM)’s stronghold in the cattle corridor districts in Buganda region.
Within the party, it’s felt that the ruling National Resistance Movement Party still commands support in districts Nakaseke, Mubende , Kyankwanzi, Gomba, Kasanda among other located within Uganda’s cattle corridors.
As the country head to the next polls, the NUP is strategizing to gain more support in some of the district in order to prove that it has a large following in Buganda. It has been severally stated that the NUP won most constituencies and local council during the last elections as part of what many described as a Bobi Wine wave.
NUP’s Vice President for Buganda region, Muhammad Muwanga Kivumbi dismisses that assertion. He has stated that NUP derived its popularity in Buganda because the Museveni administration has unfairly mistreated Buganda. Kivumbi said most of issues that lead to his party’s garnering votes in Buganda still exist.
“I’ve been hearing that our 2021 success in Buganda was just a wave, but let me assure you, it was a protest, and that protest is stronger than ever. Buganda isn’t a region to be bought; our people know the truth, and their reasons for standing up remain steadfast,” Muwanga said.
He was addressingthe party leaders in the Buganda region, ahead of the party presidential candidate’s upcoming campaign trail in various Buganda region districts, starting with Mityana next week, Muwanga emphasized that the forthcoming elections will still be a significant stand against the long-standing NRM government in Buganda as a region.
Muwanga however, told the aspiring MPs that despite NUP’s strong in Buganda region, they still have a war to unite and win the cattle corridor districts of Kiboga, Kyankwanzi, Ssembabule, Rakai Mubendi and others.
“Our focus will be on the cattle corridor districts, where support for the current government remains strong, rather than areas like Kampala, Masaka, Wakiso, Mpigi, and Butambala. We’ll all have to join our President in the campaign in these districts but also engage in door-to-door outreach to explain our agenda and win over these districts,” Muwanga said.
Muwanga claims that some places like Lwemiyaga in Ssembabule and parts of Gomba district, their leaders have been getting threats from the regime leaders that NUP shall not hold rallies in those places.
John Marry Ssebufu, the NUP’s Commissioner for the Buganda region on the party’s Electoral Management Committee reiterated that the vetting process for parliamentary candidates was fair and just.
He urged disgruntled members to resolve their issues internally rather than running as independents, warning that doing so would be seen as disloyal to the party’s principles and values.
The Buganda region mobilizer at NUP, Faridah Nabatanzi, congratulated the successful flagbearers, urging them to maintain discipline, smartness, and decency to uphold the party’s good reputation.
“In these final days of campaigning, I urge you to conduct yourselves with discipline and decency. Dress in a way that reflects positively on the party, and make sure your message is informed and relevant to the specific issues affecting the communities you’re representing. ” Nabatanzi said.
The NUP Electoral Management Committee said that for the Buganda region, which comprises 27 districts and 78 constituencies, they successfully vetted qualified candidates for both parliamentary and local government positions. According to the Electoral Commission’s roadmap, parliamentary nominations will be held on October 22nd and 23rd.
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