By Mulengera Reporters
Several independents among the newly elected MPs have been praised for the Wednesday ‘prudent’ decision they made to quickly sign individual MoUs evidencing readiness to closely collaborate with the ruling NRM during the tenure of the 12th Parliament.
But there are some independents who over the years defied such opportunism and deal-making and instead insisted on consistently remaining independent throughout their tenure of office at Parliament.
These include Oyam’s Ben Wacha who became independent in /20012006 after falling out with UPC mainstream and went ahead to win elections as an independent MP from Lango sub region. He was in this category with others like Okullo Epak, Imat Cecilia Ogwal, Charles Angiro Gutmoi etc.
Even when he was friendly to the Besigye cause, Wacha never joined FDC yet he remained independent of his former party UPC and would never frequent Uganda House nor sign any MoUs. This deliberate independence was resented even by Gen Museveni who one time castigated the onetime PA to Milton Obote for being too principled.
Kassiano Wadri: He won the 2018 by-election and became Arua Municipality MP with backing of Bobi Wine who had just come onto the scene. But upon joining Parliament, Wadri (who stood as independent after his FDC party chose Bruce Musema), remained contemptuous of NUP and never fraternized with Kyagulanyi whose contribution to his win he even disputed. Wadri remained an independent and never signed any MoUs with any party though he later on joined ANT.
There is also Wilfred Niwagaba who remained Ndorwa MP on the independent ticket after falling out with his former party NRM. He accepted shadow cabinet roles under FDC and later on NUP but never signed MoUs. Abdul Katuntu was also an independent who was hard to tell whether he leaned more to the opposition or NRM. He remained independent-minded in his submissions and never became a sycophant of the regime even when he headed one of their committees.
Ann Adeke became national female youth MP in 2016 and this was after some powerful people in State House of that time ganged up to aid her win in order to frustrate Anna Ruyondo who was the NRM flag bearer. Adeke remained independent and never signed any of those unprincipled MoUs with FDC where her step mum Alice Alaso was Secretary General.
Mathias Mpuuga also first became MP in 2011 as an independent legislator representing Masaka Municipality. He remained independent though related well with FDC whose head that time, Dr. Kizza Besigye, related well with him to the point of giving him a shadow cabinet role. Mpuuga was rejected by Mao-led DP because as new party President, the oracle from Gulu resented whoever was friendly to Kizza Besigye.
The likes of Betty Nambooze, Medard Segona and Muwanga Kivumbi belonged to Suubi and flocked with Besigye without ever being deprived of the DP flag largely because it wasn’t easy for City House to prop up other viable flag bearers in their respective constituencies. Then DP Secretary General Matia Nsubuga’s benevolence also explains why Mao kept giving them party cards unlike Mpuuga against whom a viable option readily existed in the names of JB Kawanga.
Another model of an independent politician has been Erias Lukwago who won elections and effectively served as Kampala Lord Mayor twice (2011 and 2016) as an independent even when he closely related with Dr. Besigye. He related well with KB without being required to sign any MoUs with the FDC party, which he only joined for purposes of his 3rd term re-election in 2021. (For comments on this story, get back to us on 0705579994 [WhatsApp line], 0779411734 & 041 4674611 or email us at mulengeranews@gmail.com).
