Besigye singles out Ssekikubo, Tinkasimire as tricksters, says COVID masks helped them cover the shame

Opposition strongman Dr. Kizza Besigye has lambasted the acts of ruling National Resistance Movement (NRM) rebel MPs who met and apologized to President Museveni and the party.

According to Besigye, the specific Members of Parliament must be thankful for the coronavirus that introduced face masks.

“These “rebel NRM MPs” must be thankful to Coronavirus that introduced face masks. They’ve helped cover their shame,” he said.

He singled out MPs; Theodore Ssekikubo (Lwemiyaga) and Barnabas Tinkasimire (Buyaga West) who have been playing the same game over and over of first associating with the opposition before running back swiftly to the NRM.

“Mr Tinkasimire and Ssekikubo are in their own class! The struggle continues. God bless and save our country,” he said.

Indeed, in 2016 elections, Tinkasimire returned to the National Resistance Movement and held its flag for the Buyaga elections, so did Theodore Ssekikubo.

The two legislators have been caught flip-flopping from the opposition and back to the NRM from time to time.

Recently, Tinkasimire was seen hobnobbing with People Power and Bobi Wine, however, in an interview with NBS on Monday, he claimed he can not quit NRM for People Power because the latter is just a political club.

We did not apologise- Tinkasimire

Tinkasimire has said that their meeting with NRM party chairman and President Museveni, was not an apology, but it was meant to discuss ideological issues.

Tinkasimire said, "We mainly discussed issues to do with the party ideology. We discussed our four ideologies of patriotism, Pan-Africanism, democracy, and social transformation."

Before the meeting, Tinkasimire identified himself with Kyadondo East legislator's People Power movement and he said that even when he was donning the red beret, he was still in the NRM.

Tinkasimire said that, while identifying with the People Power, he was seeking for change and he is still seeking for change.

"We have used all civil methods, and we are still engaging. That is why we held the meeting with the president. The unfortunate thing is that the public thinks if we want to change, we must leave NRM. We can still seek for change within the NRM," Tinkasimire said.

Tinkasimire added that they agreed with President Museveni that is everyone's responsibility to transform Uganda.

Why we met Museveni- Ssekikubo

Lwemiyaga County MP, Theodore Ssekikubo, has said that they met President Museveni on July 16 because they wanted to know their standing in the party ahead of the 2021 general election.

Ssekikubo said whereas people may see them as if they are making U-turn, they have never discarded their principles which made them disagree with the party position on a number of issues.

"What we stand for is for the party to be inclusive whether we have divergent views, whether we have beliefs that are not in line with the party position," he said.

"The bottom line should be.. we may disagree on one point but should that stop us from engaging in party activities? You don't abandon the struggle. You don't run away, you don't get lost, you continue engaging and hopefully, it is the best way," he said.

He said that at all levels, there are always differences in opinions and shortcomings but that does not mean that one should lose hope.

"Must people in those parties quit? Must we in NRM quit because we disagree on a particular point? The more we engage fellow party members for a common cause. Probably today you are the minority, tomorrow you may be the majority and that's what keeps us moving," he said.

He said they are aware that reforming a system is a continuous process but that doesn't stop them from trying to make things different at the party.

"We have always been in NRM and as you are aware, we have been attending the National Executive Committee meeting, the delegates conference like we did early this year. What is there is the uneasiness that members have been experiencing together as opposed to the mainstream party," he said.

"Members were saying yes we are going for primaries, how do we proceed? I think the meeting was to harmonize our position, our membership, and our continuous participation in party activities," he said.

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