The leader of the National Unity Platform (NUP) party, none other than the enigmatic Robert Kyagulanyi, popularly known as Bobi Wine, declared an all-out war against corruption within his party ranks in a bold move that left political pundits scratching their heads and opponents squirming in their seats. Speaking from the hallowed halls of the NUP headquarters at Makerere Kavule in Kampala, Bobi Wine minced no words as he addressed a gathering of party luminaries from Wakiso District.
With a resolute gaze and a voice that reverberated with conviction, Bobi Wine declared, “I will not cover up for any corruption.” The crowd, already electrified by his words, erupted into cheers and applause. Taking a subtle jab at the incumbent president, Bobi Wine quipped, “I will not be like Museveni whose ministers steal money meant for Karamoja iron sheets and he ‘covers’ up for them.” The audience roared with laughter, knowing all too well the tales of corruption that have plagued the political landscape.
But Bobi Wine’s declaration was not merely a display of rhetoric; it was a call to action. Pointing a metaphorical finger at the already embattled parliamentary commissioner, Mathias Mpuuga, Bobi Wine demanded accountability. “Return the dirty money, apologise to the nation, and resign from the commission,” he thundered, his words echoing through the corridors of power.
The saga took a twist when NUP revealed that Mpuuga had acknowledged receiving a staggering sum of Shs500 million as a ‘service award’ after leaving the office of Leader of Opposition in Parliament. Bobi Wine, unwavering in his stance against corruption, offered a lifeline to his embattled comrade. “We are ready to reconcile with Mpuuga,” he announced, “but only if he does the right thing: disassociate with corruption, apologise to the people of Uganda, and resign from that commission.”
However, Mpuuga, ever defiant, refused to bow to the pressure. In a fiery rebuttal, he denounced the party’s call for resignation as a “cowardly call” and accused certain factions within the party of orchestrating a smear campaign against him. “I cannot be deterred by small-group-family interests,” he declared, his words dripping with defiance.
