As the main opposition National Unity Platform (NUP) makes four years since Robert Kyagulanyi aka Bobi Wine unveiled it as the political arm of People Power Movement on July 22, 2020, the political organization is putting President Yoweri Museveni and his defence ministry to the test by asking to use Kololo Ceremonial Grounds as the venue for the celebrations.
In the 2021 general elections, Bobi Wine, a singer and former MP, used the NUP to emerge as the main opposition political party. Bobi Wine came second to Museveni of the ruling National Resistance Movement (NRM), the position that veteran opposition leader Dr Kizza Besigye of the Forum for Democratic Change (FDC) in four subsequent elections until he opted not to run in 2021.
Through a political wave that mostly swept across the central region felling bigwigs and bringing on board youthful politicians, Bobi Wine’s NUP also got the most number of MPs among all opposition political parties, eclipsing the FDC that had been main opposition party for as long as Besigye was presidential candidate.
Four years since it was unveiled and less than two years to the next election in 2026, NUP wants to celebrate the milestones so far reached, reflect on the challenges and inspire its supporters to work towards the possibility of a ‘New Uganda.” The party has confirmed writing to the Ministry of Defence and Veteran Affairs asking to use Kololo.
“On 22nd July this month, we shall mark four years since the unveiling of the National Unity Platform to the people of Uganda. The journey so far has been marked by so many challenges, trials and tribulations. However, we have also reached various milestones in the pursuit of our cardinal objective of ushering in a New Uganda,” NUP said in a statement confirming the development.
“As we look to the future, we wrote to the Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Defence and Veteran Affairs this week, requesting to hold our commemorative event at Kololo Ceremonial Grounds – given its historical significance as well as the number of people expected. As these are public grounds which are regularly used for NRM activities, music concerts and other events, we hope we shall also have an opportunity to hold this important event at the grounds.”
Writing to the Ministry of Defence and Veteran Affairs and copying the Electoral Commission on July 09, NUP Secretary General David Lewis Rubongoya’s letter was received by both offices the following day. Rubongoya says the party is even prepared to reschedule the event to another date provided it does not go beyond August 2024.
“We have decided to hold an event to commemorate four years since the unveiling of our Party on the 22nd day of July, 2024. The event is organized under the theme: “Four Years of NUP: The Milestones Reached, the Obstacles Encountered and a Glance into the Future.” We accordingly request to hold this event at Kololo Ceremonial Grounds, given its historical significance as well as the anticipated number of people at the event. We shall begin at 9:00am and finish at 6:00pm,” wrote Rubongoya.
“We have been advised that these public grounds now fall under the supervision of your ministry. Please advise on the required fees and other modalities Please note that if for any reason the grounds are not available on that day. You may give us any other day on which the grounds are available for our use, before the end of the month of August 2024. We shall adjust our program accordingly, Looking forward to your prompt and positive response.”
In the past two weeks, NUP and government, especially police, have interfaced over the conduct of the party’s countrywide tour, and the content taught at the party’s leadership school based in Kamwokya, Kampala. NUP officials rejected police’s demand to have the content taught every week sent to the Kira Road DPC. (See Details Here, There and Over There).
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