KAMPALA – Democratic Party’s national vice chairman, Fred Mukasa Mbidde on Monday campaigned for the National Unity Platform (NUP) presidential candidate Robert Kyagulanyi Ssentamu also known as Bobi Wine for President.
Mbidde, who is also a Member of Parliament representing Uganda at the East African Legislative Assembly (EALA) received while launching his campaign program for the post of Member of Parliament for Nyendo-Mukungwe in Masaka City on Sunday told supporters that Mao had also allowed him to support Kyagulanyi.
“I talked to my boss the President General of the Democratic Party (DP), Norbert Mao and I requested him to allow me to campaign for the National Unity Platform (NUP)’s presidential candidate, Robert Kyagulanyi aka Bobi Wine and he accepted,” Mbidde said.
His pronouncements however spell doom and a serious crisis in DP, after Mbidde who has been a strong arm of Mao decided to campaign for a rival candidate.
Mbidde however said Mao was a capable choice but decided to back Bobi Wine for the purpose of strengthening forces to cause change.
Mbidde’s pronouncements excited many NUP supporters but did not come as a surprise after DP’s national treasurer, Mary Babirye Kabanda who is vying for the Masaka City woman representative seat declared that she will too campaign for Kyagulanyi for the post of the presidency during a rally at Kyabakuza. Kabanda asked her supporters to vote for Kyagulanyi ‘at the top’ and elect DP flag bearers elsewhere.
Mbidde, who is on the DP ticket, told supporters that Mao had also allowed him to include the ‘People Power’ symbol on his campaign posters as proof that he will vote for Kyagulanyi. Mbidde is contesting against Mathias Mpuuga Nsamba, the incumbent MP for Masaka Municipality, which changed to Masaka city. Nsamba recently crossed from DP to NUP and is the party flag bearer.
It is not known whether Mbidde, like Kabanda, will officially receive Mao when he comes to campaign in the area or whether they will attend Kyagulanyi’s meetings.
“This clearly indicates a serious crisis in the Democratic Party and will give Mao a hard time getting support in the Buganda region,” a supporter reporters.
