By Aggrey Baba
Former Government Spokesperson and now MP hopeful for the Elderly in Eastern Uganda, Ofwono Opondo, has defended the police over their recent rough encounters with National Unity Platform (NUP) presidential candidate Robert Kyagulanyi, saying the opposition outfit is deliberately staging confrontations to revive its fading political shine.
Like a fisherman who casts a net into stormy waters hoping for a miracle catch, Opondo, through his weekly column in the WeekenVision, noted that Kyagulanyi has entered the final 40 days of campaigns, insisting the group is provoking security agencies to create drama and attract sympathy.
According to him, the spike in clashes with police is not accidental but a deliberate playbook meant to distract the country from what he describes as NUP’s falling political fortunes and shrinking influence in Buganda.
He said Kyagulanyi’s group has realised that their political ground has slipped like wet soil under bare feet, and now resort to public provocation, propaganda, and roadside chaos to stay relevant.
Opondo attributed the turbulence inside NUP to internal contradictions, failure to meet the high expectations they created in 2021, leadership wrangles like the fallout with Mathias Mpuuga, and what he called “open greed for money” and obsession with a flashy lifestyle.
He argued that Kyagulanyi has also rubbed sections of Buganda the wrong way, especially the Catholic Church and elements within Mengo, weakening the support base that carried him in 2021.
Opondo further mocked Kavule’s campaign style, saying the lack of a credible manifesto has pushed the party into relying on photoshopped crowds, AI-generated excitement, and insult-driven propaganda, instead of policy discussions. He said their roadside shows and processions violate EC guidelines they themselves signed.
He warned, however, that police should enforce the law firmly but evenly, noting that excessive force could hand Kyagulanyi the chaos he is allegedly looking for. He advised security agencies to avoid becoming the matchstick that lights the fire NUP is desperately trying to start.
Opondo also painted a confident picture of the NRM’s performance in the ongoing campaigns, saying candidate Yoweri Museveni is cruising toward a decisive victory after covering nearly all traditional strongholds with large crowds and organized structures.
He pointed out that NRM already has 13 MPs elected unopposed and remains dominant in both Parliament and local governments. According to him, most of the noise coming from the campaign trail is background chatter from potential bad losers.
