Kampala: Opposition leaders have called for a compromise candidate in the Bugiri parliamentary elections in order to deny the ruling party a chance at winning.
Early this week Truth and Justice forum candidate counsel Asuman Basalirwa and Forum for Democratic Change candidate (FDC) Eunice Namatembe were nominated despite a series of meeting held to persuade one of them to stand down for the other.
Speaking at Fair Way Hotel, Hajj Hussein Kyanjo said he, together with Mukono municipality MP Betty Nambooze, was tasked to mediate persuasion meetings however both candidates decided to compete against each other hence dividing opposition’s supports at the various rallies held yesterday.
“Yesterday’s situation in Bugiri was enough to make an assessment of the ground, I think that at some time before the elections, we may reach a surprise agreement,” he said.
He appealed to both candidates to carry out civil campaigns rather than standing to condemn the same side of the coin, “I expect to get a call from FDC’s candidate persuading Basalirwa to step down for her.”
According to former presidential candidate Col. Kiiza Besigye there were various engagements for a single candidate which regrettably did not happen adding there is a hope that as campaigns thrives one of the two candidates will leave a room for the other.
Besigye said having two opposition candidates means they are not united and fighting each benefiting the ruling party (NRM).
He warned opposition leaders who have continued to black mail him as he strives for change saying there few opposition leaders who look to be with them in struggle against president Museveni however they are traitors of the struggle.
“If you start abusing or de-campaigning me, you automatically become my enemy, disagreement is human, in opposition we are supposed to work towards a common goal against Museveni who has held us in captivity,” he said.
He asked fellow opposition leaders in ‘people’s government’ to change their attitude saying putting a gun against fellow fighters in the struggle renders ones in the opposite side as an enemy.
He revealed that they are yet to establish a method of winning the forth coming local council elections.
Subsequently, Nambooze revealed that inasmuch as they have failed to agree on a single candidate, they will work towards having one of the two candidates to emerge winner as the persuasion continues.
