By Our Reporters
PDP President Dr Abed Bwanika has accused the leaders of DP, UPC and JEEMA for legitimizing President Museveni by attending the Wednesday IPOD Summit at Speke Resort Munyonyo. Bwanika, who can’t be invited to such meetings because his party isn’t in Parliament, said by attending and cheerfully taking photos with Museveni, the party leaders knowingly helped Museveni achieve two things. One he says was attempting to kill off the momentum the youth-led People Power Movement has created across the country. Secondly they helped him look good in the eyes of the international community. Speaking on CBS Parliament Yaffe program this Saturday morning, Bwanika said: “In Kenya leaders have reconciled under the handshake arrangement and this has increased Kenya’s appeal as seen in the international guests and events its holding. Theresa May was there recently and shunned Uganda and it’s a difficult situation Museveni has been dealing with.” Bwanika said the DP, UPC and JEEMA leaders went to Munyonyo clearly knowing Museveni would reap the biggest political benefit and that they would walk away empty-handed. “Those are total sellouts and they are actually past their sell by date in politics just like all of us because this country is going to be changed by people power whose membership is aged between 18 and 35 years. It’s not going to be Mao or even Akena anymore or any of us the old politicians. Those leaders you saw there are dealers and I’m happy their treachery won’t have any impact on the struggle because the young people are determined and they don’t see leadership in such old people anymore.”
UNDRESSES SEWUNGU;
Bwanika bitterly clashed with DP MP and Chief Whip Joseph Sewungu on the same program. “I challenge you to tell us one thing that the ordinary people benefited from that meeting if indeed I’m not right to say the meeting was about conspiracy against People Power which Museveni fears next to nothing these days,” Bwanika challenged the Kalungu West MP who is also his longtime ally in bashing FDC and Dr. Kizza Besigye. On this occasion, Bwanika agreed with FDC strongman Yusuf Nsibambi and insisted many of the leaders in DP and UPC abandoned the cause for political change long time ago “and are now just mercenaries doing Museveni’s deals to survive.” Sewungu said the benefit they registered was that they pushed Museveni to the point of declaring he wasn’t about to leave power but callers later on disagreed saying that wasn’t new. Sewungu then said “we also secured commitments that political rallies won’t be disrupted by police anymore.” Bwanika quickly dismissed this by saying “you can see the naivety of these people.” He asked: “Was that Parliament? You mean laws like POMA aren’t in force anymore? These people were on a mission to betray the young people which they achieved and President Museveni is now in Rwakitura resting and taking his tea because Mao & Co have given him early Christmas gift.” He said only the politically gullible can be duped by Museveni anymore. This prompted Sewungu to furiously take him on: “But in 2006 you attended his swearing in ceremony at Kololo and how different was that? You also went to State House for almost a similar meeting and condemned FDC for staying away.” Bwanika, equally furious, responded: “Hon Sewungu I should laugh at you. That was 15 years ago and having learnt from my mistakes, I can’t go back or be duped by Museveni anymore.” Bwanika said he was proud of the fact that none of the guys at the IPOD meeting will be able to decide for the opposition anymore “because People Power is now everywhere and they can’t feature anywhere anymore.” Imam Kasozi, whose JEEMA Bwanika didn’t spare, said he was very disappointed with Bwanika’s inconsistences. He said he was surprised someone who previously endorsed Museveni (by swearing an affidavit, attending swearing in ceremony and State House meeting of 2006) can claim to have the moral authority to condemn JEEMA whose leaders have never backed Museveni since 1986. Bwanika said the fact that DP leaders like Sewungu were eagerly looking forward to the next IPOD Summit meeting is proof of their determination to continue conspiring against the young people. “These people are clearly duped and they don’t know how that man works. I can tell you having got what he wanted, he will take another 20 years to return to IPOD if God ever gives him that long life,” Bwanika said. “Actually what they have done is to help him neutralize the pressure that has been on him regarding the more comprehensive national dialogue the elders have been organizing with IRCU.” Yusuf Nsibambi, whose views Sewungu dismissed as too pedestrian for a show like Med Nsereko’s, said his party’s decision to skip the IPOD meeting was based on many procedural matters including the fact that current IPOD Summit Chairman Jimmy Akena isn’t a lawful president of UPC which he claims to represent. “His election had been invalidated by Justice Yasin Nyanzi and has been in office basing on Justice Kavuma’s interim order which was illegal itself and expired long time ago,” Nsibambi said prompting Sewungu to brand him a hypocrite who pretends to appreciate People Power yet he lacks guts to market the same during FDC meetings. Bwanika defended Nsibambi on this saying “Bwana Sewungu there are people you can despise like that but not Counsel Nsibambi because for your own information, he is one of the strongest pillars we have in People Power though you may not see him everywhere.” Sewungu then resorted to saying Bwanika was defending Nsibambi because he materially and financially looks after him. “It’s good you tell him that Dr. Bwanika because some of us aren’t brought up to keep bragging,” Nsibambi said. For comments, call, text or whatsapp us on 0703164755.
