Early this week, renowned journalist Joel Ssenyonyi was unveiled as People Power Spokesperson following his resignation at Serena-based NTV Uganda.
Ssenyonyi made his first public appearance as the pressure group’s mouthpiece during a press conference in Kamwokya on Tuesday morning. He has since appeared at several functions, including a press conference to announce an agreement between People Power and People’s Government to join forces to oust Museveni in 2021.
His appointment was announced by the leader of People Power, also Kyadondo East Member of Parliament Robert Kyagulanyi alias Bobi Wine.
“It gives me great pleasure to see intelligent young Ugandans join this struggle to liberate our country from oppression and dictatorship. Thank you comrade, for accepting this responsibility, which I know is a sacrifice,” said Bobi Wine.
Now it seems, the wave of journalists quitting their jobs in favour of politics is not about to stop.
Sulaiman Kakaire is the new entrant in the country’s political space.
Kakaire, a senior journalist, who covered Parliament and politics for the Observer newspaper is now the interim spokesperson for the Alliance for National Transformation (ANT) Party. He was unveiled on Friday during a meeting between ANT and media editors to explain the party’s direction ahead of the launch.
A 2014 David Astor Journalism Awards Trust winner, Kakaire will be charged with speaking on behalf of the ANT Party, headed by former Forum for Democratic Change (FDC) Party President Gen Mugisha Muntu.
The party received its registration certificate from the Electoral Commission in April, 2019.
The appointment of Kakaire, also a lawyer who graduated from Law Development Centre in 2018, was welcomed by contemporaries.
“All the best to my colleagues. It shows that journalists are now taking keen interest in the affairs of their country. Very positive development,” Charles Opolot, a seasoned journalist said.
In 2015, High Court in Kampala nullified the Speaker’s dismissal of Kakaire and David Tash Lumu from covering news in Parliament over a story titled ‘How Kadaga, Oulanyah fought over petition’ published in 2013.
