Moses Nkonge Kibalama is the man in the middle of the controversy surrounding Robert Kyagulanyi’s National Unity Platform (NUP) party.
Kibalama, the founder of National Unity Reconciliation and Development Party (NURDP) that has since evolved into NUP, last Friday denied knowledge of the video in which he appeared claiming that musician turned politician Bobi Wine promised him USD 5 million (Ssh18.5 billion) in exchange for the opposition party.
Kibalama, a few months ago handed over NUP to Bobi Wine but recently he made a u-turn to take back his party saying that the latter failed to stand by his word.
In a video that made rounds on social media, Kibalama was heard saying that the USD5 million deal they had with Bobi Wine to make him the party president failed to materialise thus deciding to repossess what originally belonged to him.
“After a long period of the people power group threatening me and failing to adhere to the memorandum of understanding made between us and the people power group we have made a decision to retain the NUP since Mr Kyagulanyi and his group cannot follow the objectives of the party,” said Kibalama.
However, appearing in Court for cross examination last week, Kibalama ate his own words when he said he was not the one who appeared in the video.He also reiterated that a party is not for sale, and he has never sold the party to anyone.
Teary Kibalama who failed to identify his lawyers also revealed that he had been under detention for two weeks in Mbale, surrounded by the military.
He also noted that his concern with the current leadership of NUP, was that they sidelined him and his members as soon as they took over his party.
But Electoral Commission lawyer Eric Sabiiti asked Kibalama why he didn’t make use of the National Consultative Forum to be guided after being aggrieved by the actions of the current leadership. Subsequently, Sabiiti asked the court to make recommendations to the DPP to institute criminal proceedings against Kibalama.
Kibalama and group want to reclaim the party leadership which is now under the Kyadondo East legislator. They are challenging the ‘legalities’ of how the party ended up in the hands of the Kamwokya leadership despite the Memorandum of Understanding the two sides signed.
Presiding judge Musa Ssekaana ordered the parties to make written submissions by October 6 to enable him to make his judgment in the matter on October 16 2020.
Five things you didn’t know about Kibalama:
1. Kibalama graduated with Business Administration from Makerere University after which he went ahead to study a diploma in VIP protection and escort duties, arms detection and disarmament techniques at Derbyshire constabulary UK in the Midlands between 1983 and 1985.
2.Born of Buwambo Village, Wakiso District, Mr Kibalama says he attended Martyrs High Senior Secondary School Lubaga for his Uganda Certificate of Education and Uganda Advanced Certificate of Education.
3. Mr Kibalama was part of the logistics management team during the Bududa landslide between March 2010 and August 2010. He speaks Swahili, Lumasaba, Runyankore, Rukiga, Luganda and Acholi.
4. He served as an escort and driver to former President Dr Milton Obote. He later metamorphosed from a driver to a bodyguard and then to the most powerful man at the time.
5.After years of rumination, Mr Kibalama decided to join activism to oppose the government (NRM) that had waged a Bush war against his boss in the 1980s.
“I wanted to continue with politics and that is why I registered a political party in 2004 called National Unity, Reconciliation and Development Party (NURP). I have been doing my work and that is why my party might have been silent for now,” he says.
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