Connect with us
  • POLITICS

    I Want To Leave: Sembabule NUP Coordinator Reports Her Party To EC For Forcefully Keeping Her In A Parliamentary Contest…

    Published

    on

    NUP SG Rubongoya and Zaituni (R)

    National Unity Platform (NUP), Sembabule Woman parliamentary candidate, Zaituni Yahaya Babikola, has reported to the Independent Electoral Commission (EC) protesting her party’s decision to block her from bowing out of the race.

    Citing lack of enough funds to push through with the campaigns, Babikola who doubles as the Sembabule NUP coordinator also faulted the NUP secretariat for failing to reimburse the money she spent to establish the party structures and coordination committees in the area.

    Babikola is one of the two candidates who were nominated for the woman parliamentary race. Her only rival is NRM’s Mary Begumisa.

    However, on October 30th, Babikola wrote to the NUP secretariat and EC withdrawing from the Sembabule Woman parliamentary elections.

    She accordingly requested the NUP Secretary General David Lewis Rubongoya to formally inform EC to deregister her name, a request that has since been rejected.

    Babikola now wants the EC chief, Justice Simon Mugenyi Byabakama to intervene in the misunderstanding in which she accuses the NUP leadership of forcing her into a political contest she is no longer interested in.

    To the EC, Babikola wrote, “The purpose of this letter is to request for your assistance and intervention in this matter as to why the secretary general has failed to comply with the electoral laws and seek your further guidance in this matter,” in protest of what she describes as deliberate failure by NUP to comply with the laws that require them to give her authorization to quit the race on her request.

    NUP SG Rubongoya however in response stated that the party’s campaign management organ and the Executive Committee declined to approve Babikola’s request to step down from the race on grounds that they were not convinced by the reasons she advanced.

    Rubongoya quoted sections 10 and 11 of the same law which binds candidates sponsored by political parties to decisions of their respective parties that presented them for nomination for election.

    Prior to her withdraw notice to EC, the NUP mobilization committee chaired by Hajji Muhammad Ssemanda petitioned the party secretariat on Nov 1st, 2020 complaining about Babikola’s suspicious conduct, and demanded investigation into allegations that she sold her candidature, allegations she vehemently denied.

    Rubongoya noted that the party organ instead prefers that the candidate continues with the contest as they inquire into her reasons for stepping down and also find a solution for them.

     

    By Baron Kironde

    Comments

    NATIONAL

    Why NUP Want Dead Body Of Bobi Wine’s Bodyguard Exhumed; Mpuuga Set To Make More Demands…

    Published

    on

    Bobi Wine (R) with the late Ssenteza (L)

    The Opposition in Parliament lead by the Leader of Opposition in Parliament (LOP) Mathias Mpuuga Nsamba on Tuesday are set to task Maj. Gen. Kahinda Otafiire the Internal Affairs senior minister to give a detailed report concerning the circumstances that caused the death of Francis Kalibbala Ssenteza the former bodyguard to National Unity Platform (NUP) Principal Robert Kyagulanyi Ssentamu (Bobi Wine).

    Shadow Finance minister and also Butambala County legislator Muhammad Muwanga Kivumbi told theGrapevine that they were not convinced with Gen. Otafiire’s report and they are going to give the country a response through Mpuuga on the floor of Parliament.

    Kivumbi said that among the issues they want explained is the way Ssenteza was killed in a motor accident because Gen. Otafiire’s report claims that he was knocked by Bobi Wine’s Toyota Hiace which he used during the 2021 presidential campaigns.

    He narrated that Gen. Otafiire who signed the Statement, even though it was read by his State Minister Gen. David Muhoozi confirmed that at the scene of crime, there was a military vehicle.

    He added that government intentionally refused to carry out a postmortem report on Ssenteza’s dead body because they feared that it would reveal the cause of his death.

    “He stated that NUP supporters run away with the dead body and it is the reason they gave why they didn’t make a postmortem report but all of us know very well that the State has the capacity to exhume a body and carry out an autopsy because we cannot allow a person to die in such circumstances not subject his body to a postmortem,” Kivumbi said.

    Ssenteza, who was a carpenter at Mulago ku Biiri along Bombo road was knocked dead at Busega roundabout and buried in December of 2020 at his ancestral home in Masaka district.

    Kivumbi added that another explanation they want from Otafire is the circumstances under which Bobi Wine supporter Ritah Nabukenya died in a motor accident.

    He said that Otafire confirmed that Nabukenya was knocked by a speeding police patrol at Nakawa a Kampala city suburb and the driver of the patrol was arrested but the Director for Public Prosecution (DPP) Justice Jane Frances Abodo declined to sanction the file on grounds that it did not have supporting evidence.

    He insisted that the evidence was there but the file was not sanctioned on political grounds.

    However when contacted, Gen. Otafiire boasted that he is ready to face Mpuuga in parliament and he will answer all his questions on the floor of parliament because he will be there himself, not his junior minister.

    Highly placed sources in the LOP’s office told theGrapevine that immediately after Mpuuga makes his response, he will table fresh demands.

    They will include demands for an explanation on the arrest and humiliation of Muslim clerics and the issue of Balalo in northern Uganda particularly in Acholi.

    But Otafiire said that once the new demands are raised, he will ask the presiding speaker to give him more time to investigate the allegation and report back as he did with the first demands.

     

    By Hadijja Namagembe

    Comments

    Continue Reading

    OPINION

    OPINION:  Bigirwa Successfully Deletes NUP From Political Map In Busoga…

    Published

    on

    Bigirwa (C) salutes Bobi Wine (L). On the right is the writer George Mubiru

    As the elders say, “He who rushes ahead doesn’t reach far.” This proverb explains exactly why Bobi Wine’s National Unity Platform (NUP) rapidly conquered Busoga but drastically seem to have lost it within a twinkle of an eye.

    This has also justified the saying that; “A chick that will grow into a cock can be spotted the very day it is hatched.”

    NUP’s egg will never hatch. The recently concluded memorable royal wedding, which Basoga and the friends of Busoga adhored and witnessed exposed the ill  intentions of NUP towards Busoga.

    In an alleged audio conversation between Bigirwa and the mysterious woman whose efforts were focused on failing the royal wedding, Bigirwa talks about how they (he and his president)  faked the 10M contribution delivery to the Busoga premier as a stunt and PR for the party but they did not do it out of love for Busoga.

    This shocked Basoga and opened their eyes to know how exactly NUP feels about BUSOGA.

    The ill intentions of NUP towards Busoga was further exposed after the royal wedding when Bajjo appeared on one of the Kampala based FM radio stations where he falsely insulted and accused Busoga kingdom that they didn’t invite NUP yet there were NUP officials who attended the function like MP Manjeri Kyebakutika, Swengere, Hassan Muwanga, etc.

    He went ahead to demand for the refund of the money NUP contributed towards the royal wedding.

    As if that was not enough, there are so many bloggers and TikTokers who have continuously abused the king and Basoga using Luganda language as well as attaching themselves to NUP and Bobi Wine. Neither the NUP principal nor the party leaders have come out to disassociate themselves and the party from such individuals, maybe as a sign that they support them.

    To redeem themselves, the party leadership sat and demoted Bigirwa from his position as coordinator eastern region, a move which rubber-stamp their guilt.

    In a dramatic turn of events, Bigirwa has vowed not to drown alone. He has promised to expose the true version of NUP and expose all their misdeeds.

    Nothing disturbs me more than the glorification of stupidity against our culture because of their selfishness interests.

    What’s the significance of all the above?

    In a court of fowls, the cockroach never wins his case. NUP loses; NRM and President Museveni win again.

    1.If you shut out the truth and bury it under the ground, it will grow, and gather to itself such explosive power that the day it bursts through, it will blow up everything in its way. Basoga have realized that NUP and Bobi Wine are their enemies. They were hoodwinked by Bobi Wine and given time, the truth has unfolded. After all, how easy is it to make people believe a lie, and how hard is it to undo that work again.

    2.Why is the Guinea fowl not used in rituals despite it’s beauty. The simple answer is in alignment with the popular axiom: “All that glitters is not gold.” Majority of the population in Busoga are so much aggrieved by such actions and have vowed not to support NUP and Bobi Wine anymore. They believe that they have been rediculed enough and have discovered the initial deception of Bobi Wine.

    1. Some Basoga are ready to refund the 10m NUP contributed towards the function as demanded by BAJJO.
    2. If a musoga says NO, he means it. It’s point clear that they have dustbined Bobi Wine and NUP.
    3. NUP is built on opportunism, sectarianism, tribalism and hypocrisy. They are self seekers and therefore the so called struggle is built for personal gains. How ironically it is, they want to reap fat cheques without due work done.

    The reason why president Museveni has remained relevant politically for the last 60 years, is because he takes the line between Uganda and Africa, he doesn’t look at identity. The big problem in Uganda before him was bad politics which he solved immediately.

    As usual, patience is the companion of wisdom, general Museveni will undoubtedly reclaim Busoga in 2026 with a resounding victory. As iron is eaten away by rust, so the envious are consumed by their own passion.

     

    The writer, George Mubiru, is a Jinja based researcher and NRM mobilizer

    Tel: 0754877595

    Email: georgemubiru93@gmail.com

    Comments

    Continue Reading

    NATIONAL

    FDC’s Nsibambi Threatens To Resign From His MP Seat If Ssemujju Tables Evidence Exposing His Dealings With M7…

    Published

    on

    Yusuf Nsibambi (L) and Semujju Nganda (R)

    Yusuf Nsibambi, the Mawokota South legislator who also doubles as the Forum for Democratic Change (FDC) Chief Whip in parliament has threatened to resign his two political positions if Kira Municipality Member of Parliament Ibrahim Ssemujju Nganda tables evidence supporting his allegations that he has been having secret dealings with President Yoweri Kaguta Museveni’s government.

    Ssemujju claimed that Nsibambi shocked him when he discovered that the man he has been respecting for a long time as a university law don and the former chairperson of Kampala District Land Board is a mafia.

    He alleged that he has evidence showing that when parliamentary committees made majority and minority reports, Nsibambi always signed on both reports.

    He disclosed that Nsibambi always signed the majority report to show President Museveni that he supports him but also signed the minority report to show that he is supporting the opposition in parliament.

    He added that from then on, he lost trust in Nsibambi and it was the reason why he was not shocked when he decided to attend parliament plenary when the Leader of Opposition in parliament Mathias Mpuuga Nsamba directed them not to attend until president Museveni’s government gives parliament a detailed report on the status of the opposition supporters who are missing.

    However, Nsibambi put Ssemujju on notice to provide proof to support his allegations, promising to resign if he tables the evidence.

    He accused Ssemujju of being one of the new breed of politicians who have mastered the art of playing malice and blackmail politics.

    He said that Ssemujju is using the opposition parliament plenary boycott to carry out his revenge on him after he was dismissed from the office of FDC Chief Whip in parliament.

    He advised opposition leadership in parliament to avoid using the boycott to fight personal battles like Ssemujju is doing because they are dealing with President Museveni who spends over 18 hours a day only thinking about politics.

     

    By Hadijja Namagembe

    Comments

    Continue Reading

    like us

    TRENDING

    theGrapevine is a subsidiary of Newco Publications Limited, a Ugandan multimedia group.
    We keep you posted on the latest from Uganda and the World. COPYRIGHT © 2022
    P.O Box 5511, Kampala - Uganda Tel: +256-752 227640 Email: info@thegrapevine.co.ug
    theGrapevine is licenced by Uganda Communications Commission (UCC)