Veteran politician Kassiano Wadri, who is running for Arua Municipality MP Seat having controversially abandoned his native Terego County that he previously represented for many terms, has vowed to go it alone following the collapse of talks he was having with a number of opposition actors in order to form a joint front. As we exclusively reported on our facebook platform (Mulengera Media), last Friday Wadri joined DP NEC members and a few other non-DP opposition leaders for negotiations hosted at Norbert Mao’s country home at Pece in Acholi-land. Other leaders present included JEEMA’s Kibirige Mayanja and Asuman Basalirwa as well as Abed Bwanika of the little-known party called PDP. Sources at the meeting have told this news website that the political leaders present were unanimous that Wadri’s candidature was a God-sent opportunity to gang up, humiliate Besigye’s FDC and have it politically annihilated. He was absent but all the speakers were optimistic that once new political sensation Bobi Wine is brought on board to endorse the arrangement, Wadri would be in parliament. “At the meeting were different groups with different interests but the biggest uniting factor was the opportunity to politically humiliate FDC and further subdue it by ensuring its candidate Bruce Musema doesn’t win,” said a source privy to what transpired. The source adds that unfortunately, Wadri was indifferent and maintained that all the officials at the meeting represented parties and political formations without any demonstrated political support and presence in Arua. “That made him adamant and behaved in a manner that made things appear it were these leaders that needed him to achieve their anti-FDC agenda than he needed them himself. He didn’t seem to believe the guys he was talking with had any known political influence in Arua,” said a source. “DP offered to withdraw their candidate Kennedy Madira but Wadri didn’t seem to feel that was a big deal because apart from him being a recent defector from NRM, Madira’s only claim to fame is being an entertainer and a comedian in Arua town with no known political influence there.” The DP leaders majorly offered Wadri two things: removing Madira from the race and convincing Bobi Wine to rally behind him. Wadri reportedly didn’t seem moved.
He preferred clearer demonstration of any political presence in Arua by the groups he was discussing with. Talks eventually collapsed and Wadri called it quits when the DP leadership made two demands to him. One was for him to commit himself in writing that he would seek re-election as Arua Municipality MP in 2021 on the DP ticket. Incidentally he belonged to DP before defecting to FDC that was then (2006) selling like hot cake in West Nile. The second demand was that in 2021 Wadri would give all his campaign structures in Terego to an old man DP intends to field there to carry its flag. He would also shoulder the responsibility of being the main DP man in West Nile and spearhead mobilization for the party there. Wadri flatly rejected all these demands on him insisting they aren’t necessary. He was only willing to lead them in ensuring FDC candidate Bruce Musema and NRM’s Nusura Tiperu don’t win. He was also reluctant to commit himself anywhere by way of singing things. Some agreed with Wadri saying preventing the FDC win there would further demystify Besigye and serve as further confirmation of Bobi Wine’s new found status as the leading crowd puller and kingmaker in the opposition. Some Wadri supporters praised him for being smart and farsighted at the DP talks because there is no way Bobi Wine, whose support leaders at the meeting kept promising, can abandon his friend and fellow artist Madira Kennedy merely because DP has ordered him. One of the DP officials we spoke too blasted Wadri and dismissed him as a greedy unreasonable politician. “We rated him highly thinking the man has political experience but his rigidity surprised us. How do you go for talks when you aren’t ready to concede on anything? You expect others to just support you without giving any concessions. We have given up on him and the deal is to get Bobi Wine to endorse Madira Kennedy his fellow musician and it won’t matter whether he wins or not. It’s about planting seeds for the future galvanization of Arua and we are better off investing our efforts in young men than wasting time with old pensioners like Kassiano Wadri who are already complacent and are very low on future political ambition,” furiously said the DP official adding that because of his age and veteran status, Wadri wasn’t’ going to be easy for their Bobi Wine to market to the Arua crowd that mostly comprises of young people. For comments, call, text or whatsapp us on 0703164755.
