Veteran journalist cum politician, Simon Muyanga Lutaaya has said he regrets the time he has wasted being in Uganda’s opposition.
Appearing on NBS Morning Breeze on December 24, Muyanga said if one sees what the opposition members do, “you realize that this country is producing very many political idiots.”
Muyanga’s comments have since attracted heated debate on social media. Some people have attacked him for being harsh while others have endorsed the views.
Some said his comments could be an indicator that he could cross to the ruling NRM.
“I have looked at the conduct of the opposition ever since NUP took the leadership of the opposition in Parliament, the opposition parties behave like co-wives,” he said.
He lashed out at Ugandans for blaming the government on each and everything that goes wrong, exonerating the opposition like as if they are angels.
“When I see the leader of opposition in Parliament, I see the leader of NUP MPs in Parliament. I do not see the leader of the whole opposition in Parliament. Dr. Kizza Besigye has been very systematic. He knows when to draw which cards,” he said.
He suggested that if the opposition truly wants to cause change in Uganda, the only thing they can do is to back Besigye, who has unsuccessfully run for the presidency four times.
Lutaaya also questioned whether the opposition legislative agenda, spearheaded by the Leader of Opposition,Mathias Mpuuga, was made with consultation with other opposition parties.
Sadab Kittata, Mpuuga’s mouthpiece tweeted that all parties with MPs in Parliament are represented on the shadow cabinet therefore there is no doubt that all parties were fully represented.
Lutaaya is a prominent senior journalist who has worked at number of media houses including NBS TV, where he was news manager.
He has also tried his hand at politics losing twice in his bid to represent Bulamogi County in Parliament.
