Shocking details have emerged answering questions that have since been lingering in people’s minds after the successful National Unity Platform (NUP) mobilization tour in Mukono district.
The tour took place on May 30, unlike the prior tours of Kamuli and Pallisa districts where Robert Kyagulanyi and his team faced endless interceptions from security, in Mukono he was only limited to accessing the central business area of Mukono Municipality.
At least he was at liberty to visit Nakifuma and Mukono North constituencies but details indicate that he sidelined Nakifuma County on purpose.
The district tour organizing committee had planned the party constituency office opening as the main activity for Nakifuma, surprisingly after opening the offices for Mukono North County in Kalagi, Kyagulanyi’s convoy took the opposite direction.
The move left everyone on the district organizing committee in a silent communication but none of them could take a bold step to ask what had caused the change of planned routes.
Nevertheless, Nakifuma County Member of Parliament, Fred Ssimbwa thought Kyagulanyi and the team had only changed routes but up to the designed program.
At this time, Ssimbwa, an MP of greater than average size, squeezed himself through the crowds to jump onto Kyagulanyi’s vehicle. We all understand that when the Principal visits your constituency, you’re allowed to travel in his vehicle or drive next to him.
For Ssimbwa’s case, he only wanted to cling in the sideways of the vehicle but was pushed off by Kyagulanyi bodyguards. He tried to explain why he wanted to cling to the vehicle but they retaliated with different instructions.
The response almost made Ssimbwa faint, but he composed himself, jumped to his vehicle, and followed the tail.
Kyagulanyi had more time to drive through various parts of Mukono North waving at people before going to Mukono Municipality for the main rally. Such time would be used to perform the planned activity at Nakifuma.
Without exception, Kyagulanyi at his level now has a strong intelligence about most of his people especially in the Central region.
Details on our desk indicate that Ssimbwa influenced the closure of the people-centered office and maintained the personal office at Nakifuma town.
He convinced the members of the district tour organizing committee that the office was open for everyone before asking them to put it on the list for a blessing from the party president.
Unfortunately, Kyagulanyi had a different report indicating that party members with contrary ideologies to Ssimbwa were not allowed in the office.
County office issues aside, the party secretariat has been suspicious of Ssimbwa’s loyalty to Kyagulanyi as the party president over time.
At the commencement of this political term, Ssimbwa spearheaded establishment of an investment club comprising legislators under NUP and took over its chairmanship, the same was banned by the party president who questioned its intentions.
Different reports indicate that the investment club had transformed into a Sacco targeting support from government bodies without the consent of the party secretariat. But also, the club was a nice spot for opposition MPs to receive ‘bad money’.
Nonetheless, the legislator interpreted the party’s decision to stop his initiative as a witch hunt, in his conclusion the party lacked direct control over the initiative which would make it tough for it to control the club’s cash flow.
When the emergency of the power struggle within the party openly ensued, the Nakifuma legislator chose to side with the disgruntled MP for Nyendo-Mukungwe, Mathias Mpuuga Nsamba.
Ssimbwa preferred Mpuuga for the constituency activities as the chief guest despite his busy schedule as the Leader of the Opposition by then rather than the party president.
Possibly this explains why the legislator was so bitter to the ‘Kunga’ group within Mukono that tasked all the MPs within Greater Mukono to sign the censure motion against commissioners of parliament.
The said motion was signed by the Leader of Opposition Joel Ssenyonyi. Addressing the main rally at Mukono on his recent visit, Kyagulanyi noted that much as the MPs who initiated the censure process belong to the ruling party, they are worth the support from all opposition MPs since it is aimed at setting a precedent against corruption in the country.
At the same rally, Ssimbwa encouraged the people of Nakifuma by assuring them that the party president would visit them another day.
NUP supporters in Nakifuma are still waiting to see whether Kyagulanyi honours their MP’s word or makes a different signal.
Lately, several other party members have shown interest in the Nakifuma parliamentary position, and their interest has started attracting the attention of the secretariat deciding forces.
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