Former National Unity Platform –NUP’s presidential candidate, Robert Ssentamu Kyagulanyi alias Bobi Wine, has urged Members of Parliament voted on his party’s tickets not to betray him and their voters.
Kyagulanyi, who has been under house arrest since Uganda’s president, Yoweri Museveni, was controversially declared winner of disputed January 14th presidential elections, made the call while meeting some of the 62 MPs elected on his party flag.
Museveni’s own appointed Electoral Commission declared him winner on January 16th claiming that he had won with 58.64 percent while his closest nemesis Kyagulanyi was given 34.83 percent.
The campaign period that started last year on November 9th was marred with killings, abductions and arrests of strong opposition candidates such as Kyagulanyi and FDC’s Patrick Oboi Amuriat.
Kyagulanyi was able to meet the new MPs a day after court ordered military and police to vacate his home in Magere in Wakiso District. The High Court on Monday pronounced that it was illegal for security forces to incarcerate Kyagulanyi and his wife Barbra Itungo in their home.
The new MPs, according to Kyagulanyi, should advocate for freedoms and liberties of Ugandans who have been yawning for change in the last 25 years. Kyagulanyi reminded the MPs not to always look up at him as the leader of the struggle for change but become agitators of ‘new Uganda’ in their respective constituencies.
At least 60 people or more have been killed in Uganda since Kyagulanyi declared political war against Museveni who has ruled Ugandans using military and police. More than 2000 NUP members have been arrested and charged in courts while others have been kidnapped and their whereabouts are not known.
Religious leaders among others Kampala Archbishop, Dr Cyprian Kizito Lwanga, have urged Museveni to reconcile with Kyagulanyi. But Kyagulanyi insists he has committed no offence in order to reconcile with Museveni.
Museveni, who came to power 35 years ago, has been using the same script against people he perceives as a threat to his ‘throne.’ His bush war personal doctor, Kizza Besigye, has been subjected to the same treatment in all the 20 years he has attempted to remove Museveni from power.