Forming an alliance will not defeat Museveni – Kabuleta

FORT PORTAL, Uganda |  THE INDEPENDENT |  Presidential aspirant Joseph Kabuleta has said that forming an alliance and fielding a single candidate against President Yoweri Museveni is the worst strategy for the opposition. 

While addressing a press conference at Nyaika Hotel in Fort Portal Tourism City on Friday, Kabuleta argued that the best way to defeat Museveni is for the opposition to front as many candidates as possible so that Museveni fails to garner many votes.   

There have been several attempts by the opposition to form an alliance and field, one candidate, to contest with Museveni. 

In the 1996 presidential elections, Uganda People’s Congress and the Democratic Party fronted Paul Kawanga Ssemogerere. In 2001, the Opposition supported former Forum for Democratic Change-FDC President Dr Kizza Besigye under Reform Agenda. 

Five years later, there were attempts to field one presidential candidate under The Democratic Alliance-TDA. However, the opposition was not successful after they failed to agree on who should be the joint candidate.

But Kabuleta argues that from his research, some of the over 5 million registered voters in Uganda failed to vote in 2016 presidential elections because the candidates in the race did not appeal to them, something he said can happen again if an alliance is formed.   

According to Kabuleta, more efforts should be put on what next after Museveni’s rule and not simply agitating for his removal.  

Kabuleta also noted that Tooro is lagging in terms of development because its tourism potential has not been beneficial; an issue he said is caused by little promotion of business in the area.   

He said that once elected as President of Uganda, he would ensure Uganda’s tourism is effectively promoted to the potential customers so that people can earn handsomely from it.

As the 2021 elections draw closer, different politicians including Gen Mugisha Muntu of Alliance for National Transformation – ANT and Robert Kyagulanyi Ssentamu alias Bobi Wine of National Unity Platform – NUP have at different occasions emphasized the need for an alliance as the best strategy to oust Museveni.   

In June, Besigye and National Unity Platform leader Robert Kyagulanyi aka Bobi Wine pledged to work together to challenge Museveni and the NRM party in next year’s General Election.

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