Mathias Mpuuga, Leader of Opposition in Parliament, representing Nyendo-Mukungwe Division on a National Unity Platform (NUP) card, worked behind the scenes with security officials along with Barbra Itungo Kyagulanyi and planned for the whisking of Bobi Wine from the airside to his residence in Magere because they wanted to control the chaos that would come with the one million walk.
According to sources prior to Bobi Wine’s return, the NUP leadership had a consultative meeting to agree on whether to hold the one-million-march from Entebbe International Airport to Kampala for the Party President upon his return from abroad. However, some members strongly disagreed with the walk, with Mpuuga in the lead.
“At the meeting, there was a heated debate about whether to abide by the police directives or to defy them and welcome Bobi Wine back through the march from Entebbe. Mpuuga, Medard Ssegona, and Joel Ssenyonyi were among those who did not agree. They said keeping supporters safe from being arrested was key, arguing that they have failed to bail out those arrested in 2021 general elections,” the source said.
He noted that Mpuuga and Ssenyonyi were not comfortable, with their supporters always suffering because of decisions made by the NUP leaders after they end up rotting in jail for unlawful assemblies, yet they have families and people who depend on them. Additionally, supporting their families is also wearing down on their pockets unnecessarily.
According to the source, after the meeting, Mpuuga made up his mind to find a peaceful means of saving their supporters and getting Bobi Wine home. He went and met Barbra Itungo Kyagulanyi, Bobi Wine’s wife, and they held a long discussion about Bobi Wine’s return.
“In the meeting, Mpuuga discovered that Barbra was not also comfortable with having the one million march, for fear of what Bobi Wine might say and do to incite the police into acting and arresting him and other followers,” said the source.
The source further adds that Barbra made a phone call, and shortly after, they were joined by another gentleman who was familiar to Mpuuga too. Though Barbra mainly spoke to him in Kinyaranda, the discussions went on for about an hour concerning Bobi Wine’s return and what they could do to minimise confrontations with the police.
“In Bobi Wine’s sitting room at Magere is where the idea to whisk him from the airport and drive to his home was conceived, between Mpuuga, his wife, and the mystery Kinyaranda man. However, Barbra told Mpuuga that she would tell Bobi Wine about their plans after his return; she promised to find the right moment and share with the husband that it was for his own good and the sake of his supporters that they planned,” stated the source.
Bobi Wine returned from South Africa aboard Rwanda Air, and upon the plane’s landing, he was picked up from the airside in a waiting car and driven to the old airport, to a waiting police car, and driven straight to his residence in Magere, where he met with Mpuuga waiting and his wife.
