My attention has been drawn to a misleading analysis, in several WhatsApp groups, of the role of some NRM leaders in the recent bye elections in Bugiri.
Mr Swahad Alamanzani signed off his 777 word article titled ‘Bugiri Was a Nest of Intrigue’ as a Political Scientist.
In what I see as a calculated move to feed into the misleading street talk of intrigue among party leaders in Busoga, Mr Alamanzani’s article feeds into the claim that NRM lost Bugiri because of intrigue between Rt Hon Rebecca Kadaga, Minister Namuganza and MP Moses Balyeku. It accuses Madame Milly Babalanda, a strong party stalwart in Busoga of refusing to support the NRM candidate in Bugiri.
As someone who was deeply involved in the intricate organization and execution of the NRM’s strategy in Bugiri I respond as follows.
First, Mr Alamanzani’s article is itself full of intrigue against the NRM party and a section of its leadership in Busoga.
Second, it is an ignorant piece from a political scientist, devoid of truthful facts.
But that is beside the point.
To the best of my knowledge, Mrs Babalanda stood by and with the NRM party candidate, Oketcho. She spent at least three nights in the filthy hotels of Bugiri because she wanted NRM to win.
Of course she is a Presidential assistant and head of the office of the National chair of NRM.
Hon Moses Grace Balyeku, whom Political Scientist accuses of fighting the NRM candidate, was among the first leaders from Busoga to support Oketcho. My sources indicate that he even supported him financially at the last hour when the candidate ran out of resources.
It is very misleading and not good for Uganda’s nascent multi party politics to involve the Speaker of Parliament, Rt Hon Rebecca Kadaga, in the politics of Bugiri. She is one very reserved person. Her schedule is even too tight and it is not her duty to campaign for other candidates. Therefore he who puts her in cheap politicking is not only a political misleaders but an uninformed person.
The writer is a journalist and the NRM Administrative Secretary for Kamuli District