By ugandaupdatenews.com Special Political Correspondents
Democratic Party (DP) maverick leader , Norbert Mao, has said that the 11 MPs who defected to National Unity Party, (NUP) are “creepers’ who want to benefit from Robert Kyagulanyi’s popularity in Buganda region for their selfish political survival.
Mao went ahead to remind his political opponents that DP- Uganda’s oldest national political party , was founded for a “ reason and not a season.” He added , “ We might have lost the crops, but the seeds are still with us. We can rebuild the party.”
According to Mao, the defectors who is said were a “burden” to DP will not sit well with NUP where they have taken refugee because what drivers them “are personal political selfish interests and not the broader national interest to cause the desired change in national political leadership.”
Mao could be vindicated by the fact that already there is disgruntlement among NUP’s young political base where the youthful aspirants who want to run on the NUP ticket are not happy with the increasing number of the old established politicians who are joining the people power movement because it is crowding out their space.
The majority of the DP group that crossed party lines are MPs and seasoned politicians from Buganda central region including former presidential candidate ,Dr. Abed Bwanika. Buganda , (Central) region has the biggest national voting bloc of an estimated 5.5 million voters and it will a major party in the outcome of the composition of the 11 parliament and the presidential elections in 2021.
The DP turncoats include renowned city lawyer Medard Sseggona, outspoken Buganda political activists Betty Nambooze, Moses Kasibante, Mathias Mpuuga, Muwanga Kivumbi, Kenneth Paul Kakande, Kigozi Ssajjalabene, Matia Lwanga Bwanika, Mike Mabikke, Allan Ssewanyana and Samuel Walter Lubega Mukaku.
In total there are now 16MPs in Bobi Wine’s party if you add Francis Zaake–Mityana municipality, Patrick Nsamba Oshabe–Kassanda South, John Baptist Nambeshe–Manjiya, David Kalwanga–Busujju and Latif Ssebaggala–Kawempe North.
On the other hand Mao’s DP is now left with five MPs. These are Luttamaguzi Ssemakula–Nakaseke south, Deogratias Kiyingi–Bukomansimbi, Mary Babirye Kabanda–Masaka, Lyandro Komakech–Gulu municipality and Okot Peter–Kochi county.
The national constitution according to the ,2015 amendments now allows members of parliament to switch parties in the last year to the end of their term. And according to the Speaker, Rebecca Kadaga, the change can only be effectual in the next parliament.
Forum for Democratic Change (FDC) has also lost two MPs who have joined Gen. Mugisha Muntu’s Alliance for National Transformation (ANTI). They are Winnie Kiiza, the Kasese woman MP and Jinja East MP Paul Mwiru.
Others who have crossed to NUP , Wakiso district chairman Matia Lwanga Bwanika, DP spokesperson Kenneth Paul Kakande, Former Luweero Woman MP Brenda Nabukenya, DP chief mobilizer Jose Chameleon, lawyer ,Abdallah Kiwanuka, former Mukono North MP aspirant and Former Makindye East MP Michael Mabikke Sseninde.
