Will Kyagulanyi's arrest give birth to opposition unity?

Following the arrest and detention of the National Unity Platform (NUP) presidential candidate, Robert Kyagulanyi Ssentamu, the key Opposition groups involved in the 2021 presidential race have worked out a co-operation arrangement to fight for a common cause.

The leaders, who met at Makerere University Guest House and later addressed a press conference at the Alliance for National Transformation (ANT) offices in Kampala, are optimistic that the new arrangement will result in a solid opposition coalition.

Three opposition presidential candidates, including Gen. Mugisha Muntu of ANT, Democratic Party's (DP) Norbert Mao and independent candidate Henry Tumukunde suspended their campaigns and demanded the unconditional release of Kyagulanyi.

The above three presidential candidates were joined by Forum for Democratic Change (FDC) chairman, ambassador Wasswa Biriggwa and NUP's vice-president Dr Lina Zedriga in a meeting that resulted in several resolutions, one of which was the agreement to work together in the struggle to cause regime change.

The Opposition leaders indicated in their joint statement that the Electoral Commission (EC) is no longer in charge of the elections, which they said have been hijacked by the security forces.

"The so-called COVID-19 rules are subject to the interpretation of partisan security operatives. There is a clear contradiction in the manner in which the COVID-19 rules are being enforced," the Opposition leaders said in their joint statement.

They argued that on any given day, there are crowds in the markets and business centres, such as Kikuubo, which are not different from those that come around them during campaigns.

"And yet there is no interest to enforce these rules in such places. Instead, there is rage about stopping campaign rallies by opposition presidential candidates," they argued.

The Opposition leaders condemned the killing of Ugandans by the very security forces that are supposed to protect them and sent out their sympathies to the families that had lost their loved ones and those who were injured.

As part of their resolutions, the opposition leaders agreed to avoid attacking each other as a way of strengthening their co-operation and denying the Government an opportunity to divide them.

"We pledge to work together in areas of common interest. Where we do not agree, we shall strive to understand each other. If one of us is arrested, harassed or mishandled, we shall stand together in solidarity," they stated in one of their resolutions.

The Opposition leaders further agreed to design a common response to the arrests, brutalisation and harassment of candidates aimed at denying them access to the electorate.

Arguing that they are in the same struggle of causing regime change to salvage a failing state, the Opposition leaders reached an understanding that they would be fighting from different fronts to fight for the same cause.

WHAT OTHERS SAY

Commenting on the development, political analyst Henry Rwabihinga said: "This is what we have been asking the Opposition leaders to do. They need to work together to cause regime change. They also need joint efforts in protecting their votes across the country."

Nakaseke South MP Paul Kasana Luttamaguzi said: "All of us yearning for regime change have been longing to see the Opposition groups working together. There are many areas where we can co-operate and fight together to ensure we get the desired regime change."

Political researcher Dr Fredrick Mutebi Golooba said: "I have heard so many such declarations of Opposition uniting, but they have not resulted in anything. That is why I have no reason to be optimistic about the latest declarations."

Asked to explain why the Opposition in Uganda has failed to unite, Golooba said: "I think it is mostly because of selfishness. Each group wants its leader to become the next president. No one is willing to cede to the other. If they could focus on addressing the political problems of Uganda and work together, there would be a big difference."

All efforts in the past for the Opposition groups to form a formidable coalition for change have failed. One of the major reasons why opposition groups fail to unite is the suspicion that some of them are working for the interests of the NRM government.

The other major challenge is the fear of the possibility of the political party of the joint opposition presidential candidate capturing more political ground from the parties without a presidential candidate in the race. Many believe that the new cooperation among Opposition groups could easily help them to form a coalition for a joint candidate in case there is a re-run.