The race for Uganda’s most coveted office is already promising to be one roller-coaster with just over a year away to the general elections.
Dust continues to gather as activities between President Yoweri Museveni’s camp and Kyadondo East lawmaker Robert Kyagulanyi aka Bobi Wine intensify.
A fortnight ago, Museveni who has been given the green-light by his party to contest and retain the seat, was hosted at an event in the Ghetto, one he has since used as a launch pad for his ambush on the Ghetto, Bobi Wine’s stronghold.
Since that even in which he was baptised ‘Man of the Ghetto’ by NRM supporters, Museveni has been courting a group of influential ghetto people beginning with singers Catherine Kusasira (Presidential Adviser on Kampala Affairs), Mark Magembe aka Bucherman (Presidential Adviser on Ghetto Affairs) and Full Figure.
Minders in Museveni’s camp believe these and many more on the recruitment list will hell the ruling NRM party reach out to the Ghetto people who believe they have been left on the margins of society.
In response, Bobi Wine who has been credited for raising the awareness of the living conditions in the Ghetto, is also not resting on his laurels over this onslaught on his turf by President Museveni.
This week, the musician-turned lawmaker unveiled a group of student leaders in a bid to capture the allegiance of young Ugandans who analysts say he appeals to because of his age.
He has also traveled to the US where he met with some legends in the Civil Rights movement on Friday.
He has since visited the burial place of Martin Luther King Jr in addition to a fundraising meeting organised for him this Saturday in Boston, USA.
“Today, it was a great honor meeting and spending time with celebrated civil rights activist, Dr. Joseph Henry Beasley, in Atlanta, Georgia. We spoke about Pan-Africanism, democratization and struggles for human rights world over. I was particularly very humbled to see that although he is 82 years of age, he has continued to follow the goings on in Africa generally and Uganda in particular,” Bobi Wine posted.
He added, “We also had an emotional and spiritually uplifting visit to the burial place of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr- one of the greatest people to have walked the face of the earth. His was a story of resilience, conviction and courage and we too pray that we are able to walk in these timeless virtues. At Ebenezer Baptist Church where King preached, we reflected and prayed for God’s protection and wisdom.”
Analysts believe this is partly how Bobi Wine hopes to overturn Museveni’s advantage, by rallying support of the international community through these almost constant visits abroad.
Good