MP Zaake's father declares support for NRM party

Renowned Mityana businessman Emmanuel Ssembuusi Butebi has revealed that he supports the National Resistance Movement but only threw his weight behind one candidate outside the ruling party.

That candidate is Francis Zaake, who is the Mityana Municipality Member of Parliament and is contesting under the National Unity Platform to retain the seat.

Butebi has been involved in politics in Mityana for so long that in 2016, he let his son, Zaake, contest for the position of Mityana Municipality MP, which he won as an independent.

Many times Butebi has been on the side of the Opposition and the candidates he supported always won the election.

Last year, rumour circulated that he wanted to contest for district chairperson, National Resistance Movement (NRM), but he did not.

"I support his MP candidature on the NUP ticket because he is my son. But I belong to the NRM," Butebi said.

He also admitted having supported John Mary Bugembe, the NRM flag-bearer for the Mityana Municipality MP seat, during the party primaries in September last year.

"I supported him because he was NRM's best candidate, but now I am supporting my son for the Mityana Municipality MP seat," Butebi said.

Asked further about his candidate of choice at the presidential level, Butebi said: "I have told you that the only candidate I support in NUP is my son. The rest I support NRM."

Butebi said he would have been happy to meet President Yoweri Museveni when he visits Mityana this week.

"I was not tested for COVID-19 so I cannot meet him. But it would have been good to meet him," Butebi told New Vision in a phone interview.