Political coalitions in Uganda have a long, chequered history in Uganda, from the Kabaka Yeka coalition ahead of the 1962 election, Inter Party Coalition 2008, to the Ssubi coalition of the 2010’s.
Many of these were based on ethnic ties.
Most of these coalitions have been formed ahead (and only lasted) of major national elections in the country.
Fast forward to 2019 and the leading opposition players seem to have abandoned the idea of collective action to oust the incumbent government.
Just this past month, more than four candidates have more or less announced their intentions to run for top office.
Maureen Kyalya an independent, Robert Kyagulanyi of loose independent outfit People power, Kizza Besigye of FDC and Mugisha Muntu of recently formed New Formation. More are expected to announce their intentions in the coming months.
Meanwhile the ruling NRM party has seconded their maverick Yoweri Kaguta Museveni to represent them once again in the elections during a retreat for the party’s Members of Parliament in Kyankwanzi.
This has raised a lot of noise among the opposition ranks who feel that Museveni with his track record is impossible to defeat using popular vote. However their actions or inactions their in are contradictory to their public pronouncements.
If a candidate from the ruling party is indeed strong, why then wouldn’t the opposition take advantage of their numbers, unite and form a formidable force against him? Why then go ahead to frustrate the only feasible opportunity to give him a run for his money?
But then, it looks like we would be asking a lot from this bunch, because history is indeed against them and the failures of those that came before them are proving to be an unwanted legacy and stumbling block to their aspirations.
Suffice to say, how would a group of individuals incapable of uniting a few warying individuals be able to unite a nation after a hotly contested national election if they indeed won? My guess, we will never find out!
