You’re on your own- Opposition parties exclude Bobi Wine’s NUP in new pressure group

A section of Uganda’s opposition parties have unveiled a new pressure group named People’s Front for Transition which will be led by Dr Kizza Besigye, as the National Chairman deputized by the lord mayor of Kampala, Erias Lukwago.

According to national chairman Dr Kizza Besigye,the new front is meant to oust President Museveni whom they say has overstayed in power adding that the new front will give the current NRM government a knock out.

Members within the Front include the People’s government FDC, CP, Activists), the DP block, Social Democratic Party and UYD) UPC’s Peter Walubiri faction, JEEMA among others.

“This struggle has taken a very long time. A lot of words have been spoken and this is the time to put words into action. We have come together to confront a crisis that this country is facing. We must all stand up and confront it. We have tested other ways and I am an expert in that. We realised election could not lead us anywhere because the whole country is captive,” Besigye said.

Besigye further noted that Uganda has been in a crisis of ignorance, disease and poverty for the last 59 years of independence, a situation he said has been made worse in the last 35 years of the current government adding that something must be done or the situation will remain the same or even get worse in a few years to come.

“The reason for this front(PFT) is because of the level of crisis our country faces today.The crisis we live in today has not been born in the last few days but has been mounting for the 59 years of independence, there is a crisis in the country that we must deal with. We are here to fight for our right to vote. We first used that path of voting until we decided to choose another path.” he added

Kampala Lord Mayor, Erias Lukwago said the new pressure group can only be equated to the walk to work campaign in 2011.

“This is not an electoral alliance but it is well thought out that this platform is for a purpose. This is akin to walk to work. It is about Uganda and people coming together for a common cause. We are not focusing on any election cycle but liberating our country. Let us focus on the journey we want to walk,”Lukwago said.
Bobi Wine’s NUP absent

However to the surprise of many, at the launch of the new pressure group , Robert Kyagulanyi Ssentamu aka Bobi Wine’s National Unity Platform(NUP) was not represented nor talked about as a member of the new group yet it was the new wave of opposition in the concluded elections and has the majority members in the 11th parliament.

Speaking during the launch, FDC president, Patrick Oboi Amuriat said this is a new front for the opposition political parties to recommit themselves to oust the current government through other means, other than elections.
He noted that all other political parties(not present at the launch) are free to join the new pressure group.

“AS FDC, we have been through thick and thin in this struggle. It is clear elections alone can’t remove dictator from power. Even the most optimistic comrades(read NUP) who said the dictator could just be run over after 2021 can attest to it this cant be done in an election,”Amuriat said.

“This is not about positions, titles or who leads us but what we together contribute to bring to reality the struggle. We want to speak to NUP that if they would like to cause difference, this is time to come together.”
Amuriat, also referred to as POA insisted that other political parties should not wait to be invited or begged to join the pressure group but should come aboard by themselves.

“Us(pressure group)going to them first is bad a spirit for struggle. We need to come and speak with one voice. Let us spear the animal first and then see how to share it. Those outside of this formation are invited to be part so that struggle continues.”
Walter Lubega Mukaaku who was introduced as one who represented the Democratic Party block could not agree more with Amuriat’s words.

“This is a front that welcomes all political entities including NUP which is the leader of opposition in parliament,” he said.