Robert Kyagulanyi aka Bobi Wine unveiled his political machine, the National Unity Party to the surprise of, especially political opportunists.
Many political opportunists hoped they would ride on the Kyadondo East legislator’s tide to win seats in parliament or local governments.
The People Power movement is an idea anyone would jump on and Bobi Wine had no final say on it which was already complicating the Bad Man’s political calculations.
If Bobi Wine was to enter 2021 without a binding political vehicle, even if he won the presidential election, he could not have people he would call his own to help him govern.
Political fortune hunters came from Democratic party, Forum for Democratic Change, National Resistance Movement, and others, seeking the People Power blessings as they entered into the political season. By last count, over 1,500 people had submitted to the people power secretariat names to be vetted for the ticket. However, many insisted to still hold onto their original parties.
The National Unity Party was a shock. Few saw it coming. Where people confessing support for Kyagulanyi would complicate matters to deny them tickets, the red line was drawn. Bobi Wine will endorse people of his party, or, those in areas he cannot have candidates.
The day of reckoning finally came. Those for Bobi must join his party, or leave People Power.
The move could undermine his larger appeal, but consolidate his political locus.
For one, after elections, he will be able to assess his strength by how many MPs, LC5s, Mayors, Councilors, etc he has. Finally, those who get his blessing will not do so in vain because MPs remit money to their secretariats, and the government pays parties depending on their numerical strengths in the House.
Possibly, Bobi is calculating to have a party that would lead the political opposition in Parliament!
And this is where the gist of the matter lies. The New Politics in Uganda is being born.
We have witnessed old parties falling apart. New political formations have come on board. This would spell doom to old formations.
Those who refused to cross will return to their older party, if they are principled enough to stand by their political ideologies. Bobi Wine spells more doom for opposition parties many of whom he has poached young members from especially FDC and DP. And more might cross to NUP in the coming couple of weeks.
The party therefore is an indication Bobi Wine is not a passing wind, but a serious political contender in Uganda, now, and many years to come.
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