Robert Kyagulanyi, popularly known as Bobi Wine and the leader of the National Unity Platform, has recently labeled the Baganda people as moles and saboteurs of progress. Bobi Wine alleges that they are colluding with the ruling NRM Government to undermine his party and the opposition as a whole.
During a Thanksgiving ceremony held on December 27, 2023, in Masaka for the late Francis Senteza Kalibala, Bobi Wine voiced his concerns. In his speech, he called upon former LOP Mathias Mpuuga, to address the issue of Baganda individuals, particularly those associated with the Kingdom and Masaka, who are allegedly working against the opposition’s interests by collaborating with the government.
“My brother Mpuuga, we are failing as opposition and NUP’, because Baganda especially people from the kingdom and Masaka have been working with Museveni and his government, so I am asking you to identify those people and put them in order,” Bobi Wine said.
Bobi Wine’s remarks have sparked controversy and debates on various platforms. Last week, on a radio talk show hosted by CBS, opposition members claimed that they had been approached and even financially influenced to remove Mpuuga, who has deep-rooted ties to Buganda.
Political analyst Patrick Wakida believes that Bobi Wine is attempting to deflect attention from his own decision to replace Mpuuga, despite strong opposition from the Kingdom and leaders in the Catholic Church. Wakida suggests that Bobi Wine is engaging in reverse politics by blaming the Baganda community for the opposition’s weakness in Uganda.
Wakida further questions why the position of Leader of the Opposition is not contended within parliament, similar to the Speaker and Deputy Speaker positions, which would provide equal opportunities for all opposition parties.
Critics argue that Bobi Wine’s comments are unfounded and defensive in nature. Many believe that his decision to replace Mpuuga as LOP with a non-Muganda is an attempt to justify his actions and eliminate those close to the Kingdom in his party. Some go as far as claiming that Bobi Wine himself is a government agent.
“Members we all know and it is no longer a secret that, Bobi Wine replaced Mpuuga to reward his inner cycle of friends, and eliminate anyone close to the Kingdom in his party, because he is a government agent himself,” Kabuka Ssempijja one the callers said in his analysis.
The controversy surrounding the selection of the LOP position continues to intensify. Callers to the radio station express their belief that the position was sold to the highest bidder, asserting that such occurrences undermine the integrity of the opposition movement.
It is evident that Bobi Wine’s remarks have elicited mixed reactions among both his supporters and critics. The accusations leveled against the Baganda people have prompted further discussions on the dynamics of Ugandan politics, the role of political appointments, and the need for a more inclusive and transparent process.
As Uganda moves forward, it remains to be seen how the ongoing debates surrounding Bobi Wine’s leadership, party dynamics, and the relationship between the opposition and the Baganda people will shape the country’s political landscape.
