By Mulengera Reporters
Leading political pundit John Kakande, a well respected and long-serving member of 97.3fm radio Simba’s Saturday Panel (called Gasimbagane), has publicly advised the NUP President Bobi Wine Kyagulanyi Ssentamu not to make the mistake of replacing LoP Joel Ssenyonyi.
In Kakande’s view, Ssenyonyi has done a very good job under very perilous circumstances. As of December 2023, when he was first appointed, there was widespread scepticism as to whether Ssenyonyi would manage to fit into his predecessor Mathias Mpuuga’s shoes, which as of that time were thought to be too large.
Kakande says that Ssenyonyi, who had equally done well as COSASE Chairman, has gone ahead to do very well as LoP to the extent that some are tempted to declare him Uganda’s best and most effective LoP ever.
To many in the Kyagulanyi universe, Ssenyonyi deserves another term as LoP because only him can effectively stand up to and consistently push back against Speaker Anita Among who decision makers at Kavule hate like a plague.
And more importantly, Kakande suggests that given the current perilous situation facing the party, following the fleeing of Kyagulanyi to exile and the continued detention of Muwanga Kivumbi, his next in command, the most logical thing would be preserving the status quo at Parliament to avoid more disruptions.
Former LoP Ogenga Latigo, who pioneered the office after the return of multipartism in 2006, agrees that Senyonyi deserves commendations for being LoP and at the same time continuing to be popular at his party headquarters. Latigo says that this loyalty is something Kyagulanyi must deliberately consolidate.
He explains that whoever becomes the LoP can easily get misunderstood for undermining the Party President because after elections, for five years, all media attention and political influence shifts to the LoP because Parliament, where he commands from, is such a consequential power centre in the way the country is governed.
Even majority of the 49 MPs, who will be caucusing under NUP in the 12th Parliament, are in favour of Ssenyonyi who they believe is the best person the principal can do business while avoiding the Mathias Mpuuga-like chaos, disloyalty and the resultant disharmony. The newcomers are also inspired by Ssenyonyi’s humility and over the fact that he is a young politician, just like them.
Majority of the NUP caucus members are not comfortable with any of the would-be alternatives namely Manjiya County’s JB Nambeshe and Jinja’s Paul Mwiru who, according to Weekend Vision, says would be more than ready to serve once given the opportunity.
Kira Municipality incoming MP George Musisi (who also heads legal affairs in NUP) says that there is no need to change Joel Ssenyonyi who he says has done very well and there is a lot more he can still offer under the 12th Parliament.
Contributing to this same debate, seasoned political analyst and veteran Parliament watcher Semujju Nganda sees no blemish in Ssenyonyi but advises that there would be nothing wrong with NUP beefing him up by deploying energetic and fame-seeking first term MPs to chair influential accountability committees.
He makes reference to the outgoing Mawogola South MP Gorethe Namuga who he says has done exceptionally well even when she is in her first term. Namuga is currently steading the ship as PAC leader following the incarceration of substantive Chairman Mohammed Muwanga Kivumbi.
Semujju also reflected on the fact that many opposition MPs end up being vulnerable to Gen Museveni’s money because they be very desperate for solutions to their economic problems and financial woes because they come to Parliament with a lot of financial burdens as their voters tend to expect a lot of material benefits from them.
“In fact, contrary to what many people think, such vulnerable opposition MPs end up badly looking for Museveni to ask for cash bailouts instead of Museveni being the one to look for them,” concluded Semujju Nganda who will now be concentrating on building and nurturing his PFF party now that he is no longer the Kira Municipality legislator. (For comments on this story, get back to us on 0705579994 [WhatsApp line], 0779411734 & 041 4674611 or email us at mulengeranews@gmail.com).
