After fishing Democratic Party president Norbert Mao, who signed a cooperation agreement with President Museveni and the ruling National Resistance Movement (NRM), Capt. Mike Mukula, the party’s National Vice Chairman Eastern region has bragged that they will continue fishing from the opposition.
Mukula, a professional pilot, and businessman, revealed how he uses what he calls ‘fishing method’ to lure people from other political parties to NRM.
In an interview with theGrapevine, Mukula noted that democracy is about managing perceptions and expectations to influence people’s political, social, economic and technological future.
He asserted, “It has to be and you have got to spend money in order to propel your political idea.
“Political parties are almost likened to super league teams, when Man U, Arsenal or Liverpool want to remain relevant, they must look for the best players and fish them to come and play in their football team. If you have a weak team, you will always lose.
“The NRM will continue to fish in the fishing ponds of the opposition because democracy is a game of numbers. We will get the best from Forum for Democratic Change (FDC), National Unity Platform (NUP) and others in order to strengthen our party.”
He however revealed that FDC, NUP and other political parties are also free to fish from the NRM’s fishing pond.
“But I think we have a better advantage, better ideas and better strategies in attracting their members to our side. That is why you find that the Speaker of Parliament, Rt. Hon. Anita Among was initially in FDC and her Deputy Rt. Hon. Thomas Tayebwa was in the youth wing of FDC, Betty Kamya, Ssebugwawo among others all joined NRM from the opposition.”
“Our business is to mind their peace and to ensure that we remain stronger and relevant,” he added.
When we asked him to compare Kenya’s election to Uganda’s, Mukula revealed that Kenya has a different set of history from Uganda.
“Kenya has never had political instability, yet we have had a military background under Obote I, Idi Amin, Yusuf Lule, Paul Mwanga, Obote II and a history of political insurgency,” he said.
Mukula added that the revolution that ushered in the NRA now NRM government brought in a fundamental change.
“It is a process of realigning the political direction of this country. All these countries have got lessons to learn from each other.”
He contended that there is tribalism in both Kenya and Uganda, which is an African perspective, but whereas Kenya has only got the issue of tribalism, Uganda has got both tribalism and religious differences.
He added, “Kenya has also got the element of people who have money. Here we don’t have a class society, people who have money, our people haven’t reached that level yet. When you underpin the democratic process of Kenya, it is an evolution of process from 1963 when they got independence.”
Mukula maintained that if one is to look at the aspirations, expectations and perceptions, the interests of Kenya’s politics are different from the ones of Uganda, adding that both countries have a lot to learn from each other.
When asked how far his petition to Museveni had reached concerning his disagreement with the Vice President, Jessica Alupo, Mukula noted that matters of a party are handled internally and they are going to handle it internally as a party.
Asked why NRM has injected a lot of energy into the ongoing by-elections compared to the past, Mukula revealed that they no longer underestimate anybody nor do they underestimate any elections.
“We take all elections seriously and we think that we have learnt lessons in the past. For example, in Arua when we interrupted the flow of FDC and NUP and teargas was fired, we lost that by-election. This time we have seen no single teargas canister being fired and that is a lesson learnt and we continue to improve and finetune our campaign strategies and methods of campaigns.”
He propounded that democracy is maturing and they are learning lessons and taking every campaign seriously.
Asked if he still dreams of ever becoming the president of Uganda, the NRM die-hard stressed that, it was an allegation that was buried and finished.
“I have got no single interest. I am now in the private sector, I believe in President Museveni as my leader and I will continue to support and vote for him as long as he is on offer and the party supports him. I am committed to the party and it is not about me, it is about the party and the country. I am committed fully behind President Museveni,” he stressed.
He added, “I am into manufacturing some of the largest manufacturing plans that are being developed in the country, I am in the aviation industry, I am in security, I am in insurance, I have gone into salt manufacturing, I am into fruit processing, I am going deeply into sugar and cement.”
He added, “I am very comfortable in the private sector and also expanding to the regions like Zambia, Tanzania and Kenya.”
Asked about his ship that is set to transport fuel to Uganda and other countries, Mukula revealed that they are just waiting for the political situation in Kenya to calm down but they were ready to sail fuel as early as yesterday.
Mukula encouraged Ugandans to remain resilient and cohesive pursuing the line of expanding the economy.
By Kalamira Hope
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