The National Unity Platform (NUP) party has explained why it did not warm up to the idea of joining Dr Kizza Besigye’s new political coalition that was launched on October 7.
“We declined to join this entity because we already have enough entities,” the NUP spokesman and Nakawa West MP, Joel Ssenyonyi, told New Vision on Friday.
“We have our People Power movement which even now has a party called NUP, so we don’t have to join another entity, but we have no problem working with any other entity new or otherwise. So, we shall collaborate with them as long as their intention is the same as ours which is to cause regime change in our country,” Ssenyonyi added.
Dr Besigye, a four-time presidential contender, formed the coalition with some opposition figures which is aimed at removing President Yoweri Museveni from power.
The coalition, which Besigye now leads, includes his party president Patrick Amuriat, Kampala Lord Mayor Erias Lukwago, Conservative Party president John Ken Lukyamuzi and constitutional lawyer Peter Walubiri, who leads a splinter faction of Uganda People’s Congress.
Other coalition members are leaders of the Justice Forum (JEEMA), People’s Progressive Party and a faction from Democratic Party led by former independent presidential candidate Samuel Mukaaku.
The coalition was named “People’s Front for Transition’ under the slogan, Twetaase. It was launched at JEEMA’s offices in Kampala. Twetaase, when loosely translated, means, “Let’s save ourselves”.
