By Our Reporters
Dr. Abed Bwanika (head of the little known PDP Party) has vowed to relentless attack veteran opposition leader Kizza Besigye and for the first time given reasons why he doesn’t like KB and his FDC party.
Addressing cheerful supporters at the signing of the MoU creating The DP Bloc (for which he is spokesman) early Wednesday, Bwanika said unseriousness in the struggle to end Museveni’s rule is the reason he is convinced FDC and Besigye shouldn’t be allowed any space.
Bwanika, whose views were later corroborated by Bobi Wine who praised him for being an “electric politician,” said on the eve of the 2016 elections he got convinced its Besigye voters wanted and drove to Najjanankumbi to share tips on how to prevent Museveni rigging. “I had been everywhere in Uganda and it was clear Museveni wasn’t the one people wanted and it wasn’t Dr. Bwanika. They wanted Besigye. I contacted Yusuf Nsibambi who called me to Najjanankumbi. I went there and they were in a meeting. Joyce Sebugwawo and others were there. I told them I had some strengths to share and offered to lend my structure adding to theirs to ensure we overwhelm the rigging by NRM. They said we shall call you back. The whole night my phone was on but they never called,” said a tough-talking Bwanika insisting given what he knows, it’s now his duty to demonize KB and his FDC comrades.
“I went to Masaka where we have 8 districts and was shocked to see that FDC had no polling agents in many of these places yet people gave Besigye the vote. I asked Hon Mpuuga are these people serious? My conclusion was they aren’t serious at all.” Bwanika said the way he was shunned at FDC convinced him that the guys at Najjanankumbi were inward-looking and uncommitted to removing Museveni. Speaking immediately after Bwanika, the very excited DP President Mao saying “I don’t know where they are going to hide anymore.” Bwanika, who was introduced as one of the Principals in the DP Bloc (the others being Mao, Mabikke and Sam Lubega), also apologized for past mistakes including giving evidence that Museveni had fairly won 2006 elections. He said he had now metamorphosed into something new and would never repeat such mistakes which he blamed on working alone as opposed to today when he has the likes of Mabikke, Mao and Lubega to correct him.
Flanked by a group of people he casually introduced (by one name or title) as PDP Executive members, Bwanika said his past mistakes had caused him to transform from being a lone politician opposed to opposition unity to a champion ready to die for a united opposition. To those who consider him a mole, Bwanika begged them to see him as “a thief who has repented and denounced him past.” He caused laughter saying the political witch who had been bewitching DP had been “caught and killed” meaning he will never resurrect again.
GOES BARE KNUCKLES
In reference to KB, Bwanika said God operates through seasons claiming he has evidence the veteran political leader “has been disregarded by God in favor of new leaders God has anointed.” He added: “God has opted to disappoint some people and they will never be leaders again however much they will struggle to remain relevant.” He said people must shun KB because he had the opportunity “but failed to lead us to victory.” He said Ugandans don’t want to hear things like “I have winning elections; they want victory.” He said being a God of seasons, the Almighty had chosen to favor DP this season by placing “political wisdom in the DP Bloc and the wisdom for this season is to work together.”
He said this has nothing to do with liking each other but about doing the right thing. “I’m not sure I like Mao or even Bobi Wine but I’m going to work with him because it’s the right thing to do,” Bwanika said adding that Mr. Wine would be hard to avoid for purposes of ousting Museveni in 2021 “because he is the electricity we need now.” He added people shouldn’t avoid electricity and go to KB who no longer has any electricity. Bwanika said this is a season to be humble and postpone personal ambitions to ensure strong contenders like Kyagulanyi have the space to take on Museveni. “I have a vision to lead this country and that vision remains though I won’t be pushing it in 2021. All of us can’t be presidents at ago. We must have the give and take spirit at all levels-and there is no need to multiple presidential candidates.”
He added: “I’m not like Besigye who has been Presidential candidate many times and still wants to become one again.” He said people should forget his past betrayals of deponing an affidavit for Museveni and judge according to his current actions. Lack of wisdom led me to testify for Museveni in the 2006 petition, he said as DP members wildly cheered him on. Building on what Mabikke said earlier (denouncing KB for “deceiving” he will oust Museveni this year), Bwanika ranted: “I will work hard to ensure Ugandans don’t vote Besigye again. It’s my mandate and I won’t give him breathing space again because he is part of the political generation that must leave now.” He added opposition must get new leaders against Museveni and the time to destroy the Besigyes is now and not after Museveni fall. He agreed with Mabikke there is no way KB can remove Museveni now having failed before when FDC was a stronger and more united party than today. Mabikke, who in 2011 was a Principal in IPC which fronted KB, said “what we are about to sign is a genuine MoU unlike Besigye’s 2011 which was fake.” Mabikke, who expected to use IPC to get KB decampaign Erias Lukwago for Mayorship in his favor, said he was duped then and is now wise enough to tell genuine from fake political alliances. Bwanika claimed FDC had lots of cash for 2016 vote protection but they never invested it because they have never been serious about removing Museveni. He said he had proof KB defeated Museveni in his native Lwengo district by 1,400 votes which was altered to favor Museveni after the NRM and EC realized KB had no agents. “He [KB] has fooled many people for too long. I’m not one of the fools in this country and I will never be. Gen Muntu is former army commander and is there. He can tell us what a battalion means. They deployed a full battalion at Besigye’s Kasangati home and the same person was at Mini Price in Kampala claiming to have beaten that surveillance. Is that even possible? After casting his vote, he cunningly drives from Rukungiri to his home in Kasangati so that he appears to be under house arrest in Kasangati.”
Bwanika implied all this was meant to justify KB’s unwillingness to protect the vote Ugandans gave him. Not known to be very sophisticated, DP audiences can be very loyal to those telling them what they want to hear. They vigorously clapped and cheered as Bwanika made his wild allegations. They even gave standing ovation saying “kano akasajja kogera [the man can talk].” Like Bobi Wine, Mao smiled and nodded in approval as Bwanika demonized KB. Bwanika’s final remark was a vow. “I won’t keep quiet about these Besigye contradictions anymore. I will keep asking those questions until you [Besigye] provide satisfactory answers to Ugandans,” he said attracting prolonged applause.
BOBI GOES BARE KNUCKLES
Next was Mao who before giving his own speech invited Muntu and Bobi Wine to make brief remarks. He described Muntu as a courageous and truthful man. The ANT boss assured DP Bloc of honest partnership and hoped they behave in a way that inspires trust. He said “in ANT what we say on microphone is what we do in privacy.” Thanking the PDP leader for speaking courageously, Mr. Wine referred to him as “the electric Dr. Bwanika.” Coming late as ever ostensibly to steal the show, Mr. Wine said he doesn’t believe in Boardroom politics but was here because he believes in opposition unity. Mabikke had challenged him and others wanting presidency to show what they intend to do differently to overwhelm Museveni in comparison to what PK Semogerere and Besigye have offered so far since the first election in 1996. Mr. Wine said what is different today is the determination by all change-seeking forces to unite and operate under The DP Bloc. He said this has for long been the missing link in all major electoral challenges the opposition has mounted against Museveni. He said he and his ghetto followers felt very much betrayed when KB’s FDC frustrated the TDA effort in 2016 and he is now here to ensure such betrayal doesn’t happen again. Having initially made veiled barbs at KB, Bobi gradually got the gloves off and started shooting live into the KB backyard.
He said he was always told by opposition demagogues that “segregation” in Uganda was being propagated by Museveni and his NRM but has now realized there is plenty of it in the opposition. “I have been a victim of this segregation myself by people in opposition,” said Mr. Wine who had just jetted into the country. He wondered why KB wasn’t enthusiastic about people getting national IDs which he said is the only sure way to get Museveni out in 2021. “It’s also very saddening for a leader to say the vote can’t remove Museveni without offering another alternative. That’s disappointing.” KB has severally made this point making him the intended recipient of Bobi’s message. He said the People Power political train had taken off and would overwhelm such skeptics like they did in Kyaddondo, Jinja, Bugiri and Arua. “You stand for President all the time and you tell people democracy doesn’t work. We believe it works and it’s going to work. He who despises democracy, despises the people of Uganda. We have the numbers and their voice is going to be heard,” Bobi said as Mao who flanked him nodded in approval. “I have also heard people saying opposition unity can’t work; can’t be achieved. They will soon see and hear how it works. It’s a lie to say that opposition is failing to unite because it’s Museveni dividing us. We are actually dividing ourselves. Ugandans should blame us for failing to unite and shouldn’t blame Museveni because he can’t stop our unity.”
Mr. Wine has previously referred to KB as his mentor and on getting his microphone back from Bobi, Mao reflected on his lyrics jokingly saying “that happens when our mentors become our tormentors.” Mao said he and Mr. Wine have a lot in common including a house in the US where they always stay and discuss how to obliterate Museveni in 2021. He said each time they chat he sees nothing “but honesty in Kyagulanyi’s heart.” He likened Bobi to Gen Muntu when it comes to speaking and acting honestly. For comments, call, text or whatsapp us on 0703164755.
