When his presidential caravan found its way in the eastern town of Bugiri a fortnight ago, National Unity Platform presidential candidate Robert Kyagulanyi Ssentamu, also known as Bobi Wine, told voters in no uncertain terms to oust Asuman Basalirwa of the Justice Forum (Jeema). ‘Back our flag-bearer, Marcelino Mangeni Egesa,’ Bobi Wine told the crowd.
The relationship between Bobi Wine and Basalirwa could be traced back to 2018 when Bugiri Municipality held a by-election that ended with the latter becoming a lawmaker of the urban constituency that had been carved out of Bukholi North.
Basalirwa is a familiar face in Ugandan politics. The president of Jeema since 2010, Basalirwa is a former Makerere University Guild President. Until the 2018 by-election, his attempts to make it to Parliament had been futile.
His first shot at Parliament came in 2006 where he was outfoxed by Abdul Balingira Nakendo of the ruling National Resistance Movement (NRM) in Bukholi North, Bugiri District. Nakendo’s happiness was short-lived as his victory was cancelled after all courts agreed with Uganda Peoples Congress (UPC) stalwart Patrick Mwondha that Nakendo’s academic papers were forged.
The by-election organised in 2008 gave Basalirwa another chance to join the House, but, still, NRM’s Stephen Baka Mugabi, who came in as Nakendo’s substitute, foiled those plans. Mugabi also defeated Basalirwa in the 2011 elections.
Another loss in the 2016 electoral cycle, this time suffered at the hands of Gaster Mugoya, who stood on the NRM ticket after the party had dumped Mugabi, left Basalirwa licking his wounds. Questions were posed about whether Basalirwa would ever translate his oratory and political skills that had seen him gain traction with the urban populace into electoral victory in rural Bugiri.
Despite losing at the ballot umpteen times, Basalirwa’s credibility within the Opposition ranks was on an upward spiral.
In 2010, aged 33, Basalirwa was appointed as Jeema president, replacing former presidential candidate Kibirige Mayanja.
In doing so, Basalirwa joined other party leaders like UPC’s Olara Otunnu and Norbert Mao of the Democratic Party (DP), for whom the Makerere guild leadership provided a stepping stone to the national stage.
Basalirwa, a lawyer, was a key cog in Opposition activism. If he wasn’t in the streets defying security forces, he was always available to rescue Opposition activists who had been jailed.
People Power tonic
By 2013, Basalirwa’s mentors-Dr Kizza Besigye, former Makindye West lawmaker Hussein Kyanjo, and former South African President Nelson Mandela affirmed his belief in activism and defiance.
After the 2016 General Election, the People Power movement, which would later morph into NUP, was up and running under Bobi Wine’s stewardship. In 2017, Kyagulanyi won the Kyadondo East parliamentary elections and sensed an opportunity to influence the politics of the country.
In the run-up to the 2021 elections, the government carved Bugiri Municipality from Bukholi North. This presented Basalirwa with another chance to join the House. The rural parts that left Basalirwa nursing a political migraine on account of being NRM strongholds were to remain in Bukholi North. Bobi Wine’s movement embraced Basalirwa on account that it was time for the young generation to take over.
Propelled by the movement, Basalirwa barnstormed the tiny constituency with 28 polling stations and 16,222 registered voters. He would go on to easily defeat the NRM’s Francis Oketcho with a margin of 3,267 votes.
Basalirwa also easily won re-election in 2021, having forged an alliance with NUP. Yet, a fortnight ago, Bobi Wine publicly declared that there was no thaw in relations between the two parties.
‘I camped here in 2018. You took me to the ghettos here in Bugiri, and I pleaded with you to vote for Asuman [Basalirwa] though you had rejected him previously. You agreed with me and voted for him, but he has since changed. He is no longer on the side of the people. And once I realise that a person is no longer on the side of the people, I come back here and I tell you. Basalirwa has betrayed us,’ Bobi Wine said.
‘Unholy’ alliance
We understand that differences emerged after Basalirwa developed a close relationship with the Speaker of Parliament, Anita Among and Moses Magogo, her partner.
Basalirwa’s closeness with Among came as a shock, considering that earlier, he had positioned himself as a supporter of Rebecca Kadaga.
During this current term, it has been commonplace to see Basalirwa join other NRM-leaning legislators, like David Kabanda of Kasambya County, while exchanging pleasantries with Speaker Among.
In January 2023, Basalirwa, together with a motley crew of lawmakers, accompanied the House Speaker as she traversed the Teso Sub-region, holding a number of fundraising ceremonies.
Still, in 2022, Basalirwa’s parents visited Among in her office and had their kodak moments. Whilst Basalirwa thinks his hobnobbing with Among is normal since she is the Speaker, NUP honchos have made it clear she is an obstacle in their resistance against the NRM.
The latest standoff NUP has with Among stems from what the Opposition’s leading political party says are underhanded methods of blocking any possible challenger to her political seat in Bukedea, including their member Marion Alupo. NUP alleges that, through stooges, Among has filed cases in the High Court to block any competition.
This, they add, explains why the Electoral Commission (EC) has ruled that Among’s competitors can’t be nominated because they are not natives of Bukedea. In an X post, Bobi Wine described the House Speaker as a ‘shameless woman’ after the EC pronounced itself on the matter. ‘We’re dealing with unprecedented impunity,’ Bobi Wine further roared.
Frosty relationship
NUP’s frosty relationship with Ms Among can be traced to the fallout the Speaker had with Francis Zaake, the Mityana Municipality lawmaker, a close associate of Bobi Wine. A social media post that Mr Zaake put out is believed to have riled the Speaker to the point that he was ousted from the parliamentary commission.
The House also adopted the report of the Committee on Rules, Discipline, and Privileges, presented by Abdu Katuntu, the Bugweri County MP. The report damned Zaake. The Constitutional Court, following a petition filed by Zaake, quashed this parliamentary resolution, saying there was no requisite quorum.
Speaker Among has also rumbled with NUP spokesperson Joel Ssenyonyi over the presentation of the report on the management of Uganda Airlines. Ssenyonyi, the Nakawa West MP, who then headed the House Committee on Commissions, Statutory Authorities and State Enterprises (Cosase), accused Among of refusing to put the issue on the Order Paper.
Among said her decision was informed by the fact that the report had been leaked. She went ahead to accuse Ssenyonyi, who is making his debut in Parliament, of being lazy.
With this kind of relationship, NUP has made it clear that Basalirwa should have distanced himself from the Speaker. The Bugiri Municipality lawmaker, however, remains calm.
Basalirwa reacts
Basalirwa has also accused Bobi Wine, who blocked him on social media, of being intolerant.
‘I have no problem with Kyagulanyi, but he has been consistent in attacking me and my people. He even did the same two years ago while in Bugiri. I was told it’s because I work well with the Speaker. But I advise him to focus on the presidency – he won’t lead Uganda without the rest of us.’