Lukwago, Bwanika in bitter exchange over DP reunion

Kampala Lord Mayor Erias Lukwago and People’s Development Party’s Dr Abed Bwanika on Monday morning exchanged sharp words during the Morning Breeze, a leading political talkshow program on NBS Television.

Last week during the DP Re-Union at Makerere University, Bwanika accused the oldest political party of using the advantages at their disposal to capture power but are only involved in fights among each other.

Lukwago was among the prominent party members together with Mukono Municipality MP Betty Nambooze who missed the reunion held at the Makerere university rugby grounds.

Speaking during the show, Lukwago wondered whether the reunion was about coalition building or reuniting forces in DP.

“Was that forum about coalition building or reuniting DP? I’m confused, but we’ve advanced that agenda before and we’ve been labeled names. We have always said that we should come together and usher in a new political dispensation but it has always been resisted by some people in DP,”Lukwago said.

“These issues that have caused controversy in DP have been there for many years and having a reunion like that couldn’t solve them. If it was a genuine healing process of the party, it would have been done systematically.”

Lukwago downplayed the Makerere function saying it was for jokers.

“If the face of the reunion is none other than Bwanika(Abed), that tells you the reunion wasn’t about DP. It’s ironic to call it a reunion of DP. If it was something else, they should have called it that. If it was specifically about the healing process of DP, it needs no foreign help like Abed Bwanika.”

Lukwago said it would be ironical for people like Bwanika to accuse him of not attending the reunion, adding that he was away in Rukungiri attending a ‘very important’ program .

“If you dub me a Kizza Besigye supporter so be it, he’s the head of the people’s government which I subscribe to.”

Bwanika responds

In response, Dr. Abed Bwanika said he is morally authorised to attend and comment about issues concerning Democratic Party because he grew up in the party and loves it.

When asked why he cannot go back to the party he says he grew up in, the former presidential candidate said he cannot return to the party but said he has something to offer to it.

On DP supporting Besigye, Bwanika said the coalition between the two has not succeeded in liberating the country, adding that it is high time a DP member stood for president.

“I am a believer that we need to forge a new coalition and I am thinking a DP led coalition will take us forward. We invited Kizza Besigye for the reunion and I would have said what I said even when he was there,”Bwanika said.

He added that he does not have any issue with Besigye because he supported him in 2001 but added the opposition strongman has for four times failed to lead the opposition to power.

“We can’t avoid talking about him(Besigye) because he was at the helm of the coalition.We thought that this platform will provide the best opportunity for the healing process of opposition especially DP.”