Kenneth Paul Kakande, a former of the Democratic Party has advised fellow colleagues who crossed to National Unity Platform (NUP) to respect the party leadership and concentrate on building it for a better future.
Kakande who was recently denied NUP ticket to contest for Nakawa West Parliamentary seat said he will respect the party decision and urged other members who were also denied tickets to support the party instead of tearing it apart.
Most of party members who were denied tickets vowed to contest as independents alluding that the NUP’s Election Management Committee (EMC) was too biased that it only favoured political novices before trashed tested and experienced politicians who knew the field very well.
However, Kakande told this website that members who were denied tickets must respect the decisions that came from the party because this is where they now belong.
“This is politics and we should avoid being selfish and greedy. The DP bloc joined NUP willingly, therefore they should know that they are members of NUP. Those who feel that the committee did something not right must follow the constitution of the party. After joining NUP we became members of NUP, therefore claiming that DP Bloc members were left out it makes no sense because the bloc no longer exists,” he said.
Kakande’s call for unity within NUP comes at a time when prominent DP Bloc members like Mike Mabikke, who was rejected by EMC for the Makindye East flag bearer slot in favour of 28-year-old Derrick Nyeko has waged a war on the committee members and the Secretary-General (SG) David Lewis Rubongoya.
In his claim, Mabike accuses Mercy Walukamba’s EMC of making the party leader Robert Kyagulanyi as a liar who doesn’t keep his word. Mabike claims that prior to their defection to NUP, there was an MoU between them and Kyagulanyi and one of the key condition was the 11 MPs who joined under DP Bloc were to have their positions ring-fenced and that Principals like him and Abed Bwanika were to equally be unopposed for the NUP flag.
Other members who have vowed to fight against the NUP certified candidates are Kasibante Moses who was denied a ticket for Rubaga North and Emmanuel Sempala Kigozi Sajjalyabene for Makindye Ssabagabo Municipality.
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