By Mulengera Reporters
Buyaga County MP Barnabas Tinkasimire says that despite accepting the role of Bunyoro sub region coordinator of Bobi Wine’s People Power Movement (PPM), he hasn’t left or stopped cherishing his mother NRM party on whose ticket he intends to seek reelection in 2021. In a Monday interview, Tinkasimire told Mulengera News that he accepted the role because he understands PPM to be a platform for all Ugandans who believe their country deserves better than his party chairman President YK Museveni is governing.
“I haven’t ceased being NRM. I’m still a party member and can’t rule out seeking reelection in 2021 on the ticket of my same party,” he said adding he can still serve PPM without seeking being reelected on its ticket. He added that he personally remains very strong in his constituency which he admitted is a strong NRM stronghold. “Let me tell you in this country people are disillusioned with parties and in my case, they elect me because of my personal strengths and not merely because of the NRM party.”
Refuting claims that he is in PPM to spy for Museveni the way critics claim he did to Go Foward’s Amama Mbabazi before abandoning him on the eve of 2016 elections, Tinkasimire said Museveni cheerfully accepted him back in 2016 not because he was thanking him for spying but because “he realized I was too strong on the ground having properly defeated my opponent [Dennis Namara] in the NRM party primaries with 45,000 votes against his [Namara’s] 15,000.”
Tinkasimire mantained it was possible to serve as PPM coordinator and remain a strong NRM cadre at the same time because “the idea is to re-direct NRM back on the right course.” Mulengera News spoke to Tinkasimire at Nsambya where he participated in the celebrations to mark 10 years of CCEDU’s existence and change of leadership from founder Dr. Livingstone Sewanyana to a new team of office bearers at the governing board level. (For comments, call, text or whatsapp us on 0703164755 or email us at mulengera2040@gmail.com).
