Veteran Journalist and businessman Andrew Mwenda has called for a presidential debate between himself and the National Unity Platform (NUP) leader Bobi Wine on joining the party.
“I am calling for a debate between me and Bobi Wine on the future of NUP and the strategy to defeat Museveni,” Mwenda wrote on social media.
Mwenda who registered as a member seeks to be nominated as a candidate for both party leadership and party presidential candidate and that he will be running against Bobi Wine for both positions.
“So today I went to the head office of NUP expecting to be lynched. I was prepared to die at the hands of what I thought was largely a collection of intolerant radical extremists,” Mwenda wrote.
He added: “To my surprise, and except for a few noisy radicals, the young people I met there received me well and with overt excitement”.
“So now I formally declare my intention to seek both the presidency of NUP and to be the party presidential candidate in the next elections. I will bring civility, strategy, policy awareness, political depth, military and security knowledge and connections, regional and international experience, a large network of contacts across the country, region and globe, and the best fundraising skills the opposition in Uganda desperately need,’ he added.
He says he wants to see democracy in the party, slamming NUP for anointing a president, Bobi Wine – the very sin it claims to be fighting in NRM.
“There should be a delegates conference to elect a party leader and I will contest. Second, I noticed that many assume Bobi Wine is the sole presidential candidate by anointment. That also must be rejected”.
‘So I call upon all party members to rally behind this call for internal democracy in NUP. As the noble Mugisha Muntu never tires of telling us, you cannot give what you do not have. NUP cannot give democracy to Uganda if it cannot practice it internally”.