The National Unity Platform has announced that it will hold a retreat next week to decide on who they will front to contest for the Speakership race in the 11th Parliament.
This was revealed by John Baptist Nambeshe, who is the NUP deputy president in charge of the Eastern Region. Nambeshe was addressing the press at the NUP head offices in Kamwokya.
"Next week we shall have a retreat and one of the key issues that we shall discuss is the speakership race which has dominated the media. We believe that we shall be able to come up with a resolution after the retreat and we shall inform you," Nambeshe said.
Nambeshe said that the public should lookout for a surprise as NUP might choose to front their own candidate, instead of supporting any of the candidates that have already expressed interest. He said that their party is not for sale and they will not be used by what he called 'self-seeking' individuals.
"The party position is very clear, we have not yet announced that we shall support any of the candidates, you are not aware that NUP might have a candidate, we might make a surprise," Nambeshe said.
"Those who are saying that we should support them, NUP is not for rent, we are a party that cherishes its norms."
Nambeshe also noted that they will also discuss their next step in trying to secure the freedom of their detained supporters. He said that the party continues to demand the unconditional release of their people and they will agree on the next steps in this fight.
On his part, Mathias Mpuuga, who is the NUP party deputy president in charge of the Central region said that as a party they decided to dedicate this holy week not only to remember the suffering of Jesus Christ but also to dedicate their supporters who continue to be detained in known and unknown prisons and safe houses across the country.
"We urge religious leaders to join us and hold special prayers wherever they are. As we remember Christ, let us also remember our slain fellows and those that are in detention over trumped-up charges," Mpuuga said.
The NUP party president Robert Kyagulanyi Ssentamu alias Bobi Wine is currently out of the country on what the party says that he went for official duties.