As the storm seems to have settled, Moses Nkonge Kibalama, the founding president of the National Unity, Reconciliation and Development Party (NURP) which later metamorphosed into the National Unity Platform(NUP) has once again reawakened efforts to have his party back.
In a July, 6, 2021 letter, through his lawyers of MS Mugabi Shyaka & CO. Advocates , Kibalama together with party Secretary General Ssimbwa Paul Kagombe, Kigozi Winston, the deputy head of policy and William Odinga Balikuddembe, the head of research have written to the NUP Secretary-General Lewis Rubongoya seeking a meeting over in order to review the memorandum of understanding signed last year between Robert Kyagulanyi, also known as Bobi Wine and his party.
“Please be advised that in terms of Clause 5 of the impugned memorandum of understanding, the same ought to be reviewed and we are reliably informed by our clients, that you have since the signing of the understanding totally disregarded all the terms express or otherwise agreed upon by the parties in particular Clauses 2, 3 and 4 of the same, insofar as to date our clients have never assumed the positions of leaderships agreed thereunder nor are there any such offices created for that purpose,” the letter reads in part.
Kibalama and his group say they were hoodwinked by Kyagulanyi and that they seek to have the memorandum of understanding reviewed.
According to Kibalama, he has since learnt that Bobi Wine’s People Power Movement that entered the MoU with his party is non-existent and therefore has no legal capacity to enter and execute any agreement.
“The purpose of this letter, therefore, is to request that a meeting be held on the 11th July 2021 at the National Unity Platform offices or any other convenient venue to among others review the Memorandum of Understanding in terms of Clause 5 thereof.”
Taking back NUP party
Kibalama says that he is ready to take back his party in case the National Unity Platform refuses to heed to the requested for a meeting.
“….. should you fail to convene the meeting as requested, please consider the Memorandum of Understanding dated the 11th July 2020 rescinded and or terminated forthwith and be ready to handle over all the National Unity Platform organs and instruments of power to our clients,”Kibalama says.
NUP responds
When contacted for a comment, the National Unity Platform Secretary-General, Lewis Rubongoya confirmed receiving the letter but said the party would issue a formal statement soon.
While speaking to NBS television earlier this week Kibalama said he was not happy with the manner in which the NUP leadership had “done away” with his team, contrary to the memorandum of understanding signed last year.
“There is no way you come up tomorrow and just do away with all this team. We are going to revoke the MoU and hold new meetings to elect new leadership for the party,” he told NBS TV.
However, speaking in response to Kibalama’s claims, NUP spokesperson, Joel Ssenyonyi said there is no way they could have entered into such a memorandum of understanding.
“How could we enter an MoU like that one that says that after a year we are going to review? That’s not how things operate. We want to follow the party constitution and the law as it is,” Ssenyonyi said.
He however dismissed claims that there is no longer communication between the National Unity Platform and the party founders including Kibalama.
“That’s how we have been trying to visit and sending the little support(to Kibalama) through Ssimbwa. We have tried but like I have said, these people are the ones that broke away and decided to begin fighting the party.”
Background
Last year, Kibalama and his group handed over his National Unity Reconciliation and Development Party (NURP) to opposition strongman, Robert Kyagulanyi also known as Bobi Wine.
NURP later metamorphosed into the National Unity Platform but Kibalama later claimed he didn’t authorize the change of hands of the party to Kyagulanyi.
How former NUP leader Kibalama contradicted himself while testifying in Bobi Wine case
He claimed the NUP leadership had failed to pay him $5m as agreed during the takeover but other party members led by Secretary-General, Paul Kagombe said their signatures had been forged to ensure the party is hijacked by Kyagulanyi’s group.
These ran to court to challenge the take over and during the hearing of the matter before Justice Musa Ssekaana, Kibalama on several occasions contradicted himself.
Despite saying in his first affidavit that he is the head of the elders and advisers’ committee in the National Unity Platform after the party changed leadership, Kibalama rubbished everything saying this was not true.
He insisted that he has no position in the party.
In a twist of events earlier this year, Kibalama who had earlier been blasted by the High Court as being a serial liar dragged government to court for allegedly coaching him to lie against Kyagulanyi.
“During all this time, I was under the forceful custody of the state agents, my rights and freedoms were violated. I was forced and coached to present thoughts and views that were not my own,” Kibalama said in a suit where he wanted government to compensate him over the alleged torture.
The latest development will be seen by many as one of those lies by Kibalama, owing to his history of always contradicting himself.
Many have since labeled Kibalama as a man with no credibility but it remains to be seen how the latest movie will turn out.
I was coached, forced to lie about Kyagulanyi in NUP case- Kibalama
