NUP has betrayed me, says Sulaiman Kidandala

Former Democratic Party (DP) organising secretary Sulaiman Kidandala is an unhappy man after the National Unity Platform (NUP) denied him a ticket to contest for the Kawempe North parliamentary seat.

He said he has done a lot for NUP, wooing a number of political heavyweights from DP to join it. But to his shock, NUP, led by Robert Kyagulanyi aka Bobi Wine, endorsed his rival Muhammad Ssegirinya as the party's flag-bearer in Kawempe North.

"Before NUP was unveiled, I wanted to return to DP but Kyagulanyi requested me to stay and he asked me if I could persuade some DP members to join his struggle. I used the popularity that I had in DP to persuade them," Kidandala said.

He was addressing journalists at Emblem Restaurant in Mpererwe, off Gayaza Road.

"I was able to mobilise my fellow DP members and a number of people to join NUP but they failed to trust me with a parliamentary seat," Kidandala said, adding that the vetting process used to select NUP flag-bearers was unfair.

"I have decided to run as an independent in Kawempe North, but stay as a member of NUP and People Power movement," he said.

Kidandala said he is ready to tussle it out with the incumbent Latif Ssebagala, who also has decided to stand as an independent.

The briefing was attended by 45 individuals selected as NUP flag-bearers for the post of councillor in Kawempe North. The group opposed the selection of Ssegirinya as flagbearer.

"We disagree with the NUP leadership over the choice of Ssegirinya as the MP flag-bearer in the coming elections," Charles Sseruwagi said on behalf of the group.

However, Ssegirinya has vowed to trounce all rivals in the race for Kawempe North MP seat. In a number of interviews, Ssegirinya has said he welcomes his rivals to the race so he can prove his popularity.