By Our Reporter
Kimanya Kabonera MP Abed Bwanika has told National Unity Platform (NUP) president Robert Kyagulanyi that his red overalls no longer have a place in Masaka.
Dr Bwanika, who was speaking at the burial of the late Pascal Ssekasamba at Manja Village in Kiseka Sub-county in Lwengo District, accused Mr Kyagulanyi of failing to rein in his supporters, whom he said abuse those who disagree with the NUP principal.
The late Ssekasamba was the younger brother of former Democratic Party Secretary General Mathias Nsubuga Birekereraawo.
Dr Bwanika cited alleged insults directed at Buganda Kingdom Prime Minister Charles Peter Mayiga, and Nyendo Mukungwe MP Mathias Mpuuga, among others.
The burial turned political, with NUP supporters accusing Dr Bwanika of being a “snake” if he said he can send them away.
“If we are doing politics, each of us should respect each other, you should stop abusing us and our leaders,” he said.
“This is not the struggle we were saying Mr Kyagulanyi, this youth who are abusing us are your children and anyone who wants to take me out of here you can do it. Kyagulanyi, stop killing our leaders.”
Dr Bwanika has come out as being loyal to former Leader of the Opposition Mpuuga, who was in April suspended from his position as the NUP deputy president for Buganda region.
The suspension followed revelations that Mpuuga, while LoP, had negotiated and received a controversial allowance from the Parliamentary Commission.
On March 6, 2022, Mpuuga sat in a meeting chaired by Speaker Anita Among in which he was handed Shs500 million as a “service award” while his backbench commissioners received Shs400 million each.
NUP said the money was corruption and abuse of office and demanded he step down from the position of Parliamentary Commissioner.
But Mr Mpuuga defiantly stood his ground, backed by Speaker Among and Parliament with Dr Bwanika in his tow. It led to a bitter fallout with Mr Kyagulanyi and from Saturday’s events in Lwengo, it looks like the fences are too torn apart for any mending soon.
Amid heckling by mourners, Dr Bwanika also accused NUP deputy spokesperson Waisswa Mufumbira of immorality before the microphone was yanked away from his hands.
Kyagulanyi Defends Self
When it was his turn to speak, Mr Kyagulanyi first apologized to the mourners for whatever Dr Bwanika had said.
“Bwanika, I am not sure whether you love Mpuuga more than I do; it was I who appointed him as my vice president, it was I who appointed him as the Leader of the Opposition, it was I who appointed him a Commissioner of Parliament and you it was I who made you to an MP,” he said.
“I am not doing these because of hatred, I can disagree with you, but let us look at the bigger picture. People have hope in us and whatever we are doing now, these young children are looking and it is what they are going to do in future because people do not listen to what you tell them, but they follow what you are doing.”
Mr Kyagulanyi said he would not be intimidated by such attacks and told Mpuuga that he has no grudge against him.
“We are working for a better Uganda and being loved by people is not my problem,” he said.
“I always respect Mpuuga and I have never mobilized anyone to hate him or abuse him, and I always tell you not to do it. Even though I have disagreed with Mpuuga, we do not need to reach that level because we have a lot that connects us, like religion and tribe.”
He said the only enemy he has is President Museveni, adding that what worries him is that Museveni uses members of the Opposition to fight for the Opposition.
“Whenever you pray, please pray for me because I found myself in a situation where I am fighting for the enemy I use only one hand and the other hand is fighting for my people who prevent me from fighting my enemy. It is very sad,” the NUP principal said.
Kyagulanyi has called for unity among opposition leaders and urged them to stop fighting each other.
“We have to know that these acts are making Museveni happy whenever he sees us fighting,” he added.
The burial started with a mass that was led by Kyanukuzi Parish priest, Rev Fr Henry Kasule, who called upon leaders to remain in their political parties and urged them not to be after money and to desist from accepting petty cash from the NRM government.
Mr Mpuuga did not speak but appeared to acknowledge most of the statements made by Dr Bwanika.
The widow Mrs Evelyne Nakku Ssekasamba appreciated her late husband for the life he has given to her and their children and asked the children to continue trusting God.
Pascal Ssekasamba was born in 1970 and died at the age of 54.
