QUESTION: Results from the re-run of the primaries for National Resistance Movementâ€™s (NRM) election for a parliamentary candidate for Bubulo West show that you were beaten by Fred Bukeni Gyabi by a margin of 235 votes. Why are you not accepting defeat?
ANSWER: I am not totally accepting defeat. I have not even recognised the so-called provisional results because they were so many irregularities during the exercise and I have already appealed to the NRM Electoral Commission (EC), which says it will come out with a decision. So whatever is in the press, the writers know better because I have raised a number of issues, which I hope the commission will fairly address.

What do you think went wrong?
It was an election which was supposed to be fairly conducted at the same time but surprisingly the ballot papers were taken in two different vehicles; one to the area of my opponent in a car with a presiding officer different from the one the commission sent and the voting lasted barely 30 minutes before it was declared finished. At the same time, my agents were beaten and chased away. When they reported the mater to the ECâ€™s representative called Bwire, the man turned a deaf ear. How do you recognise results where your agent have been beaten and chased away? No way! I canâ€™t!

It is the second time in a row that the results are turning out against you. Donâ€™t you think it is a sign of your unpopularity and you should consider your next move?
No. Even in the first election, I won and beat my opponent with 1,163 votes but I think somehow, there are some people in the commission who are just bent and are trying to make sure that I donâ€™t return to Parliament this year. The first time the reason used was that in some parishes, people voted 100%. But in this particular re-run, is some parishes where my opponent won, he got over 100% voter turn up. If the EC canâ€™t nullify such parishes, I will know that the EC connived with my opponent to throw me out of the race.

Why do you think that the NRM EC is particularly witchhunting you and can you name some people you think are behind your fall?
I have no problem with the EC but at least I had a problem with one staff member from the Presidentâ€™s Office and an EC official who just came with a biased mind and determined to see me not go through. Look at a situation where even the declaration forms were being changed. In places where I was leading, the declaration forms were replaced with new ones. It meant that it was a predetermined situation that they wanted me not to win.

If the EC decides to go with the votersâ€™ decision and maintains its results, what are you going to do?
If they maintain their results, which I hope they will not because the facts are so obvious. But if they insist, then I am going in for individual merit because there is no way I can disappoint my people. They are calling and telling me not to make a mistake and say I am not standing because I am very sure of victory on February 23 and there is no way I can be locked out. The law is very clear and I will stand as an independent candidate should the EC disappoint me.

By this, donâ€™t you think that you risk ruining the NRMâ€™s chances of winning the parliamentary seat, as you will be dividing the vote?
I donâ€™t quite think that it will split because look at a situation where 11 parishes repeated elections and in seven I won then in the four which were just manufactured, my opponent got more results than the ones I got in the seven.
They deployed police where they though I was popular and did not deploy anybody where they though my opponent was popular. The truth is that my opponent has no votes but only has votes that can be stolen. I donâ€™t see NRM votes being divided because he doesnâ€™t have them at all.

The President has warned NRM losers against contesting as independents and you seem to be directly disrespecting his decision
Well the president may be very right and I am saying may be very right where surely we have strong opponents of the NRM and when two or three compete and they are all NRM, they divide the vote.
But in my case, I see my opponents as very weak people and I am very sure I will trounce them and I think at the end of the day, the president will appreciate that I have worked for the NRM party other than disappointing them then some weak party trounces us because I have obeyed the president.

Apart from this, the NRM constitution bars losers from contesting and if you insist you may be expelled. Are you not taking this into consideration?
I am not very sure as to whether the party will do that, it will be highhandedness because we joined the party voluntarily and one pulls out voluntarily. In this case, the only thing I will miss is the partyâ€™s sponsorship. But I will remain a very loyal party member and I am very prepared to campaign for the president.

If you were expelled, would you return your NRM card?
It would be very unfair but I would imagine NRM is just like a home where you may have by-laws but they are not normally very strict. So it would be bad for someone to say bring back our card. If they did and the worst came to the worst, I would have no problem and I would not hate the party.

The President has repeated the call that the NRM is big and all of you will be accommodated. Why donâ€™t you honour this call?
The question is not I, Wesonga, looking for a job. The question is I have received calls from my constituency who still find my representation worth. When they look at my performance they are very satisfied and that is why I am standing.

What is the most visible aspect of your popularity?
My civil service record is very straight. I worked for the Government for 23 years and left without any dent. My record politically is up to date because I articulate in favour of my constituency while in the house and while outside the house.
My opponent has a very bad record and has been chased everywhere he has worked right from Mbarara and Mbale where he has worked he has been a disaster. I donâ€™t want to risk the NRM party with such a person.

You seem to be defying your party chairman. Donâ€™t you think you are burning your fingers for the future?
I donâ€™t because this is a call by my own constituents and I am very sure they will give me their votes. I am going to win the elections. All the same, I donâ€™t think if I lost the elections, I would turn into a pauper. I am a well-established citizen with property that can guarantee me a fall-back position. I have support of my own family, friends and relatives. I donâ€™t see my fingers burning.

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