Democratic Party president Norbert Mao has become the fourth politician to declare his interest to run for the highest office in the land come 2021.
He joins ‘People Power’ luminary Robert Kyagulanyi (MP Kyadondo East), Forum for Democratic Change’s Dr Kizza Besigye and President Museveni in what could develop into a fascinating race for State House in under three years’ time.
While announcing his presidential bid at a press briefing yesterday in Kampala, Mr Mao scoffed at his party member, the Butambala County MP Muwanga Kivumbi, for having allegedly attacked his personality on Monday while on NBS TV morning breeze programme.
Mr Mao branded him “reckless” and “a less intelligent legislator”.
“I announced that I would seek the office of the president of Uganda when I was still in Senior Three at Namilyango College School and anyone who knows me has known that Norbert Mao will run for president and become president or die trying; therefore, whatever Muwanga Kivumbi said is not new,” Mao said yesterday.
MP Kivumbi while on the show, said he had very reliable information that his party president, Mr Mao was being used by the ruling NRM party to also contest in the forth coming general election, a move he said aimed at weakening the new People Power pressure group headed by Mr Kyagulanyi.
“Stupidity is not a crime, not even written anywhere in the Penal Code Act. If it was a crime, many people would be in prison. It is not even taxable; I wish there was a tax on stupidity, Uganda would be a very rich country,” a seemingly irritated Mr Mao shot back.
“I’m extremely worried that Ugandans are again going to be disappointed because the opposition are busy fighting each other. What is going on is a smear campaign…The people criticising us have never even stepped at the party headquarters; many of them are looking for meal cards, an opportunity for them to be re-elected to parliament; so, the level of opportunism is going to increase,” he added.
His message to Kyagulanyi’s supporters, therefore, was that blackmailing opponents into supporting him will not work.
“None of us is going to be intimidated or blackmailed by reckless statements. We know where our strength is. All of those attacking me, attack me because they know I’m strong…People are starting to impose on us candidates; imagine if DP started bullying everybody and saying if you’re not supporting Mao, then you’re working for Museveni…
“I will tell you this without blinking that the most credible candidate to take Uganda forward is Norbert Mao and the most credible party is DP. You cannot be biased towards one side and then say the rest shouldn’t even declare interest. That is the dictatorship we have been fighting in the NRM and we will not allow it as the DP,” Mao added.
According to Daily Monitor, Mr Kivumbi said the issue at hand is not a measure of people instead it is in response to the facts at play that President Museveni has a project 2021 and beyond.
“For this project to succeed, he intends to divide the Opposition and among the people he talked to and accepted is Mr Mao, …he agreed to run for president not that he can win but to be part,” he said.
He added: “Sometimes with these facts someone must stomach the abuse and insult and save the cause that transcends personal ambition.”
Mr Kivumbi said “when you look at how far building this Opposition has come from and the price that has been paid, by many that have lost their lives along the way you cannot cash it down to embark on a mission that literally will confuse the cause.”
This is not the first time that Mr Mao, who heads the oldest party in the country, gets involved in heated exchanges with his party members.
A month ago, he clashed with Mukono Municipality MP Betty Nambooze after he called her a “water melon” for being green on the outside but of another party colour in the inside.
Ms Nambooze also hit back at her party president by calling him a “pumpkin” for allegedly being green on the outside and yellow in the inside. Yellow is the official colour for the ruling NRM party headed by President Museveni.
