NUP Aspirants Decry Unfair Criteria Used to Identify MP Candidates

Aspirants who have not been selected as the parliamentary candidates for the National Unity Platform [NUP] have complained about the unfair process leading to the selection. Some aspirants said that if the party doesn’t address their concerns, they will not be left with any other option but contesting as independent candidates.

NUP released a list of candidates who are going to hold its flag in the coming 2021 general elections last evening. The much-anticipated list which only had candidates for constituencies in the central region came with a number of surprises.

For example, little known Lwanga Jimmy was given the flag to represent Njeru Municipality in Buikwe district against Arthur Mugabi, who has been in opposition politics for several years. Speaking to URN on Tuesday, Mugabi said he deserves an explanation from his party.

“They must tell me how they arrived at Lwanga as the candidate. I think on all the measures, I was a better candidate than him,” Mugabi said. He added that if he is not given an explanation, he will have no option but to run as an independent candidate.

Another surprise was in Nakifuma county in Mukono district, where a one Fred Ssimbwa was selected against well-known radio presenter Patrick Mujuuka. Although we could not reach Mujuuka for a comment, a source close to him told this network that he was in the constituency canvassing for votes oblivious of the outcome of the NUP vetting process.

“He will come as an independent because that process was very unfair. There is no way he can bow out of the race after months if not years of hard work in the constituency,” the associate told us.

In Robert Kyagulanyi Ssentamu’s, [NUP presidential flag bearer] constituency of Kyadondo East, the party chose Muwada Nkunyingi over Tonny Ssempebwa and Khalid Ssimbwa. The two helped Kyagulanyi to defeat former MP Apollo Kantinti during the 2017 by-election in which Nkunyingi also participated.

Ssimbwa said the only reason Nkunyungi was selected against him was that he was able to buy himself through. “I knew from the onset that they were going to give him the ticket because he paid them a lot of money. But that’s a wrong approach to politics. I’m not going to accept to be eliminated on those grounds. Therefore, I’m coming as an independent,” Ssimbwa told URN.

He added that they had a gentleman’s agreement with Kyagulanyi not to stand in 2017 and instead support him in 2021. “Let the people of Kyadondo East decide who should be their MP because there was no transparency in the selection process,” Ssimbwa said.

In Nakawa West, the party selected Joel Ssenyonyi as the flagbearer against Kenneth Paul Kakande who has been in politics for over 20 years. Kakande told URN that he needs an explanation from the party on why he was never selected. He said when he went for vetting, they said they were looking for somebody who has experience in the struggle, who has been there for Kyagulanyi, and with impeccable education credentials.

“I have been in politics longer than anybody I was competing with, I’m more educated than everybody I was competing with and I have been with Kyagulanyi since 2017 when everybody was shunning him. Based on those qualifications, I was better than anybody. So I’m petitioning the party to know why I was not selected and if I’m not convinced I will stand as an independent because I don’t want to cause problems for the party,” Kakande said.

For Buikwe South, Sembuya Stephen Magulu was selected against long time politician Bayiga Lulume who picked, but never returned nomination forms.

Meanwhile, in a number of constituencies especially in Kampala, the party is yet to announce those who have been selected. Mercy Walukamba, the chair of the Election Management Committee said that there were some sticky issues they needed more consultations about. “

She added that they are also going to announce candidates for constituencies in Eastern Uganda and tomorrow, they will announce those of Northern and Western Uganda.