By Leonard Kamugisha Akida,
PARROTS UG|POLITICS:
Divisions have arouse in the Uganda’s young strongest political party, National Unity Platfirm (NUP) between leaders and aspirants on who should hold the party flag for the Kayunga District chairperson seat in the forthcoming by-election.
The Kayunga district LCV seat fell vacant after the death of elected Chairperson Muhammed Sserubogo, popularly known as Ffeffeka (NUP), who was found hanging on a tree by a rope in June, in alleged suicide. The opposition politicians however still insist Ffeffeka was executed by the state.
So far, 23 NUP aspirants have expressed interests to run this seat in the forthcoming by election and no one is willing to stepdown for the other despite interventions by top officials from the party leadership in the district. This has caused bickeries between the leadership and aspirants.
Parrots UG has learned that Andrew Muwonge, who was the ruling Nationa Resistance Movement (NRM) party flag bearer in the 2021election, but lost to NUP’s late Mohammed Sserubogo Fffeffekka has also declared interest to contest again.
Tensions have further spread like wild fire after the district NRM secretary general, Joseph Ouma joined the race of 23 aspirants vying for the NUP ticket. He contested for the seat in the last election.
The coming of Ouma has prompted aspirants accuse each other of being moles to the ruling NRM but using NUP to hijack the post.
Among other aspirants vying for the for the NUP ticket are late Ffeffeka’s children; Jamil Kamoga, (son) and Fatuma Nakanwagi (daughter).
Others are; Paul Musoke, former Kayunga mayoral contestant, Dennis Katongole, a radio presenter, Joel Nakibinge, Rajab Ssenkubuge, Maureen Nabukeera, Margret Nabirye, Moses Mugenyi,Brian Ssebuuma, Donald Obama, Solomon Luwali, Michael Kyakulaga, Obeid Kato, Patrick Sserubiri, Moses Ndugga, Harriet Nakwedde, and Shariff Nsubuga.
Other aspirants outside NUP are Boniface Bandikubi, Independent
On Sunday, the district NUP leadership led by John Mary Ssebuufu, held a meeting at Ssukka Islamic Education Centre in Kayunga Sub- County aimed at choosing a flag bearer but ended prematurely after NUP supporters turned rowdy.
The meeting was aborted after Nakwedde refused to step down as per demands of the other members who argued she was inelligible to contest since she has an ongoing election petition against Kayunga District Woman MP, Ida Nantaba, in Mukono High Court.
Nakwedde supporters angry at their counterparts then stormed out of the meeting accusing their counterparts of fighting their candidate.
On contrary, some NUP members from the Ssenkubuuge camp alleged that Nakwedde is being used by NRM Moses Karangwa, the Kayunga District NRM chairperson, to contest the allegation she dismissed.
The situation was later restored by the UPDF soldiers and policemen from Kayunga Central Police Station who rushed to the scene.
The Electoral Commission has howeber not issued out any campaign programme for the by elections, but Yasiin Kamulegeya, the NUP coordinator for internal elections in Kayunga, said by the time the campaign programme is issued by EC, they would have come up with a flag bearer.
Photo Courtesy: NUP Caucus in Jinja.
