Former Forum for Democratic Change (FDC) president Dr Kizza Besigye and Kyadondo East MP Robert Kyagulanyi Ssentamu aka Bobi Wine have announced a new alliance against President Yoweri Museveni.
Dubbed, the United Forces of Change, the two principals who were flanked by members of their respective camps used the occasion of announcing the formation of a new pressure campaign, to rally their supporters to stop attacking each other especially on social media.
Kyagulanyi said, coming together is the only option for them if they are to defeat President Museveni in 2021. He was speaking during a campaign christened, ‘No, Nedda’, which is aimed at showing dissatisfaction over how the government has handled the COVID-19 pandemic.
According to a document read by the Lord Mayor of Kampala, Erias Lukwago and the Bugiri Municipality MP Asuman Basalirwa, the vast majority of Ugandans are under great suffering because of the measures brought about by the lockdown imposed due to the COVID-19 restrictions.
The opposition called upon all the Ugandans who are hungry, those still held home as restrictions on their businesses persist and all those who are dissatisfied with the current government, to drum whatever items they can every day at 1 pm to show their anger towards the government.
Besigye said it has never been more important to work together than now.
“This is a wonderful moment in the history of our country that we can say from here let the whole country unite to say enough is enough. Our country is deeply divided…what we are doing today is giving direction to the marginalized people,” Besigye said.
He said Museveni has for the last three months of the COVID-19 lockdown done everything there is in the book to bring the people of Uganda to the brink of destruction.
“I thank my brother here and all the people of the People Power movement for the patience and commitment to the liberation of this country. That has made it possible for both our parties to come together and to join together in this hall here today. This is a wonderful, wonderful, moment for our country. We have 90% or more of our people totally marginalised. From tomorrow at lunchtime, anybody who is hungry, raise your voice tomorrow. Hit your empty saucepan, you blow your whistle, make the noise that you can make to show the country that this country belongs to us.” added Besigye.
Meanwhile, Kyagulanyi expressed dismay at the contradictions, attacks and counter-attacks amongst the different opposition groups adding that at such a time, uniting is the only option, to defeat the common enemy.
“We know our enemy and the enemy of Uganda that’s Museveni and his regime. So the more we fight against each other, we are delaying the change that we want. This country is bigger than your principals’ it belongs to all of us; it can only change when we put our efforts together,” Kyagulanyi said.
While calling on all his supporters to rally behind them and push in the same direction, Kyagulanyi observed that leaders can only see the way and show others the direction, but we must work together to reduce the period of oppression for Ugandans.
“For the masses that have been calling upon our unification, yes we have been working together. We have been talking… and this that we’re doing today is just yet another step into the right direction. To our supporters out there we see the contradictions, we see the attacks and counter-attacks and we want this to be a practical message to you out there. To know that we’re not each other’s enemies. We know our enemy. We know the enemy of Uganda and that is Museveni and his regime of national shame. The more we fight against each other, the more we delay the change that Ugandans so desperately want.” he added.
This is the second time that the two principals demonstrate the will to work together. The first was late last year when they signed a Memorandum of Understanding agreeing to cease any form of attack against each other. This did not hold for the supporters especially on social media who continued exchanging barbs against each other.