PFF is Falling Into the Hands of NRM Despite Besigye’s Detention

Rukungiri: The Peoples Front for Freedom (PFF) Party in Rukungiri District appears to be drifting into the hands of the ruling National Resistance Movement (NRM) led by President Yoweri Kaguta Museveni. This follows open support for President Museveni from top PFF leaders, even as the party founder, Col. Dr. Kizza Besigye, remains in Luzira Prison.

This development comes after the incumbent Member of Parliament for Rubabo Constituency, Hon. Naboth Namanya, publicly admitted that he is distributing T-shirts promoting President Museveni.

Namanya said it is true he is giving out Museveni T-shirts to the public and explained that he cannot continue pledging loyalty to someone in prison when there is someone currently in leadership.

CUE IN… NABOTH ON MUSEVENI…RR

When our reporter contacted the Rukungiri District PFF chairperson, Aloysius Mugarura, for a comment on Monday, January 5, regarding an opposition leader campaigning and distributing T-shirts for President Museveni, Mugarura said there is no problem with Namanya mobilizing votes for Museveni and it’s not a crime.

He argued that Namanya is a Member of Parliament for all people, which suggests that the PFF party may no longer be interested in pushing for change but rather working closely with the ruling NRM.

As of today, most PFF leaders appear comfortable with this development, as none of them have publicly condemned their colleagues for campaigning and distributing T-shirts for President Museveni, the same party they have long opposed.

CUE IN… MUGARURA ON MUSEVENI…RR

It should be remembered that on November 27, 2020, while campaigning in Kapchorwa, President Museveni said there was no opposition in Uganda that he could not defeat, arguing that opposition leaders lack a track record of contribution to national issues.

This was not the first time Museveni made such remarks. In 2017, during a dinner at State House Entebbe to celebrate the passing of the age-limit bill, Museveni who has been in power since 1986 said there was no genuine opposition in Uganda. He described his opponents as disgruntled and confused people and some unemployed youths.

Two days after being declared winner of the February 18, 2016 presidential election, Museveni vowed that he would have no Opposition left by the 2021 General Election, promising to wipe out the Opposition completely in the next five years.