Ex-VP Bukenya, DP agree on 2016 election coalition

By Moses Mulondo

KAMPALA - The Democratic Party (DP) has agreed to work with former vice president Prof. Gilbert Balibaseka Bukenya to form a coalition for change in the 2016 general elections.

Bukenya paid a special visit to DP leaders at their headquarters in Kampala on Friday and held a meeting with them after which they addressed the press jointly.

The DP leaders who represented the party’s National Executive Committee in the talks with Bukenya included the party secretary general Mathias Nsubuga, the chairman Mohamed Baswale Kezaala, the party  leader for the northern region Alima Santos, and that for the western region Imum Makumbi.

First to speak was the secretary general Mathias Nsubuga: “His Excellency Prof. Gilbert Bukenya wrote to us seeking to meet us and we accepted. We have held a long discussion with him.”
Giving more details, the party chairman Kezaala said, “From the discussion, we have realized that we have similar ideas for changing our country. He will be working with DP as one of the progressing political forces. We are also ready to work with him and other political forces to cause the desired change.”

'His vision, our vision'

The DP chairman explained that Bukenya’s plans like giving priority to agriculture, education, health, fighting poverty and unemployment constitute the same vision DP has for Uganda.

“We share so much in common with Prof. Bukenya. His vision is our vision, his strategy is our strategy. He believes in a strong coalition which the DP NEC has also sanctioned. The current regime has deliberately neglected agriculture to keep Ugandans in poverty,” he elaborated.

On his part, Bukenya said: “I have come here regarding the much-needed coalition for change. We have held a very fruitful discussion with the DP leaders. We have similar ideas and strategies for causing the change desired by Ugandans. I am ready to work with all political forces working for change of government.”

Describing the state of the country as very appalling, Bukenya urged all political leaders and groups struggling for change to work together to liberate the country from he called "bad governance".

“I am appealing to all political groups to work together. Our country is sinking. Our country is being mortgaged away. Kenya Commercial Bank is here, it is in Rwanda and it is in South Sudan. Our commercial bank went into pockets of some individuals."

Explaining why he had chosen to work with DP, the former VP said: “I love DP’s motto of truth and justice. DP leaders are very firm and transparent leaders. We shall be intimidated but we must be firm.”

'Peaceful struggle'

Bukenya (L) addresses journalists at the DP offices, City House in Kampala. (Photo credit: Lattif Riche)

The professor of medicine, who is the former NRM chairman for the Buganda region, said already many of his mobilisers in different parts of the country have been intimidated.

“There is someone who calls himself Ssentongo but appears like someone from the western region who moves around promising money to my mobilisers to confess that I have been recruiting into rebellious violent activities. For me I believe in a peaceful struggle for change.

"I don’t believe in violence but I also have the capacity to resist oppression,” he explained.

In a recent interview with New Vision in regard to whether he is better placed to be the coalition presidential flagbearer, Bukenya said, “I have created networks in different regions of the country. In Buganda alone, I have 1,500 mobilisers in every sub-county and 4,000 mobilisers in every county. It is on that basis that I think am better-placed to be the joint coalition candidate.”

DP has been embroiled in confusion regarding who will be its presidential candidate following the embarrassing dismal performance of its candidate (Norbert Mao) in the 2011 elections who got only 1.8% of the total votes. 

Since then, there has been growing resentment against Mao who many have lately alleged to be secretly working with the NRM government to weaken DP.

Mao recently announced that following advice from doctors he had decided to go into an indefinite leave and left Mathias Nsubuga to act as the party president.

Considering that all recent polls have indicated that President Yoweri Museveni is most unpopular in the central region, many political strategists believe fielding a strong coalition candidate from the central region would enable the opposition have a formidable campaign for the presidency.

Apart from his strong links to Buganda and the Catholic Church, Bukenya is a darling of most of Uganda’s musicians, many of whom have already composed for him songs which he will use in the 2016 campaigns.

Other potential opposition coalition candidates often talked about include former prime minister Amama Mbabazi, Dr. Aggrey Kiyingi, FDC leader Gen. Mugisha Muntu and his predecessor Dr. Kizza Besigye, Bishop Zac Niringiye and Norbert Mao.

But in a recent interview in a local newspaper, Besigye said it is too late to have free and fair elections in 2016 and therefore he does not intend to participate.


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