Splitter Kibalama Group Unveils Parallel NUP Headquarters
Kyagulanyi took over the party leadership in the months leading to the 2021 general elections and contested as a presidential candidate.
The founder of National Unity Platform (NUP), formerly National Unity, Reconciliation and Development Party (NURP), Moses Nkonge Kibalama has Tuesday morning unveiled new party office premises in Lubaga division, Kampala in what many political commentators believe is an audacious move to snatch the party from Robert Kyagulanyi Ssentamu aka Bobi Wine.
Kyagulanyi took over the party leadership in the months leading to the 2021 general elections and contested as a presidential candidate but lost to President Yoweri Museveni of National Resistance Movement (NRM). NUP under Kyagulanyi emerged as the leading opposition political party in the country by sending more Members of Parliament to parliament.
The relationship between Kyagulanyi and Kibalama has been murky ever since the former went missing and military personnel placed at his residence in September 2020. It was later known that he was in the custody of the military for protection.
It is very shameful to see Elders like mzee Kibalama embarrassing themselves to this extent, anyone divide and rule is one tactic that NRM has used to successfully curtail the opposition in Uganda. pic.twitter.com/IV3YDBfxem
— Jeje Odea 🇺🇬 (@joshjeje2) June 21, 2022
While Kibalama handed over the party peaceful to Kyagulanyi after a delegates’ conference, Kibalama has since changed the song claiming Kyagulanyi is not the rightful president and leader of NUP.
Therefore, Kibalama’s latest move is not surprising to many political pundits who believe that his actions are being influenced and backed by the state in an attempt to weaken Kyagulanyi.
Speaking to the media today, Gideon Tugume, the secretary of the splitter group led by Kibalama, revealed that a delegates conference sitting on 27th May 2022 resolved that the party gets a new home different from that in Kamwokya, the known NUP headquarters.
Tugume says the Kamwokya group lacks transparency, has failed to provide accountability and doesn’t respect and follow the party constitution. “The head office is now officially open for all elected members of NUP at all levels including the Members of Parliament to come and formalize their membership and also get the blessings of the real Bishops of NUP” Tugume said.
