The leader of the National Unity Platform (NUP), Robert Kyagulanyi, aka Bobi Wine, rushed to the USA on January 3, 2024, to hold talks with his party funders a few days after Winnie Byanyima declared her intentions to run for Uganda’s presidency come 2026.
In the last week of December 2023, Byanyima, wife of former presidential candidate Kizza Besigye, expressed her desire to contest for the presidency, emphasising the need to bring about change and reorganise the country in a widely shared video on social media.
Byanyima’s declaration has prompted Kyagulanyi to seek reaffirmation from his foreign funders, especially from the LGBTQ community, in fear that they would shift their support to Byanyima, who is a more proficient candidate.
Given her vast experience and connections acquired while serving as the executive director of Oxfam International and now UNAIDS, in addition to her advocacy for gay rights in Africa, Byanyima could easily sway the LGBTQ community, who are Kyagulanyi’s biggest funders in the west, to her side.
Kyagulanyi has also been on the verge of falling out with his funders after he failed to dissuade NUP Members of Parliament (MPs) from supporting the anti-homosexuality law. In his defence, he alleged that NUP MPs who supported the passing of the act were working with Museveni and took stringent measures that saw him fire Mathias Mpuuga from the Leader of Opposition post.
An insider from NUP has confirmed to this website that Kyagulanyi headed to Los Angeles, US, via Dubai aboard Fly Emirates on January 3, joining his wife, Barbie Itungu, who flew out on January 2 and is scheduled to hold talks with the party funders.
“Principal has gone to the US, where he will have several engagements with our donor community,” the source added.
Political experts believe that Kyagulanyi is going to be more submissive to the demands of the LGBTQ community and push forward their agenda in order to convince them not to opt for another candidate.
Besigye has, however, been put in the spotlight, having to choose between his wife and NUP, in which he has varied interests.