Join my party or forget about endorsement-Bobi Wine

Aug 03, 2020

According to laws of this country, you cannot belong to two political formations at the same time, you either join NUP or look elsewhere.

POLITICS | ELECTION | NUP

Aspirants seeking endorsement by the National Unity Platform (NUP) leader Robert Kyagulanyi Ssentamu aka Bobi Wine in the upcoming 2021 general elections will have to join the two weeks old party.

Many aspirants from different opposition political parties seeking to contest at different levels had already started circulating their posters with colours and symbols associated with Bobi Wine's people power pressure group.

Following the formation of his own party, Bobi Wine has advised all those seeking his endorsement to join his party.

Patrick Nsamba Osabe (R) Kassandra North legislators display his new NUP party membership card. Osabe crossed for NRM to NUP

Bobi Wine made the heartbreaking news to many opposition figures from other opposition political parties like Stella Nyanzi during a press conference at NUP offices in Kamwokya on Monday (August 3, 2020).

"According to the laws of this country, you cannot belong to two political formations at the same time, you either join NUP or look elsewhere," Bobi Wine warned.

Nakawa Mayor Ronald Balimwezo (R) shows his strength and energy to serve the National Unity Platform

Bobi Wine, however, said they are committed to their earlier alliance with other opposition political formations.

Bobi Wine's comments follow a bitter exchange between Stella Nyanzi and Shamim Malende who have already expressed interest for Kampala woman MP seat.

Both Nyanzi and Malende claim to be official candidates of the people power in the forthcoming 2021 political race. Nyanzi is a member of opposition Forum for Democratic Change (FDC) while Malende belongs to NUP.

The Mayors who attained National Unity Platform membership cards display a dummy card with party president Robert Kagulanye

During the three hour briefing, Bobi Wine also handed over his party cards to five Members of Parliament who he said have decided to join him.

They include John Baptist Nambeshe and Patrick Nsamba Oshabe of the ruling National Resistance Movement (NRM), David Kalwanga, Francis Zaake and Latif Ssebaggala Ssengendo.

Francis Zaake, Mityana Municipality MP receives National Unity Platform membership card from party president Robert Kyagulanyi Ssentamu

Others are divisional mayors of Kawempe, Nakawa and Makindye, respectively. They are Emmanuel Sserunjogi, Ronald Balimwezo Nsubuga and Ali Kasirye Nganda Mulyanyama. Also, Ronald Kalema of Katabi Town Council joined the party.

The visibly excited Bobi Wine told the new entrants that his mission is to end President Yoweri Museveni's long stay in power.

The legislators who attained new National Unity Platform membership card join Party president Robert Kyagulanyi Ssentamu (4th L).

"We are not here to play opposition politics but we are the option in as far as liberating the country is concerned. We are not here to oppose Museveni but to remove him out of power," said Bobi Wine.

In regard to the party colour woes, NUP Spokesperson Joel Ssenyonyi said they registered three colours at the Electoral Commission (EC) and that they are at liberty to use one of them.

Innocent Kiyaga aka Dr Hilda man was also in attendance.

"NUP has got red, navy blue and white colours. We are at liberty to use one or all of them at ago. EC has our constitution and whoever is against it should go to court for redress," Ssenyonyi said.

Ssenyonyi was reacting to EC, which ordered them to stop using red because it belongs to the Uganda People's Congress (UPC) party.

Ideally, EC is a regulator of political parties and it is vested with powers to register and de-register them. Political pundits predict harsh consequences for NUP in near future if it doesn't heed to EC's directives.