National Unity Platform (NUP) candidate for Kampala Lord Mayor Office Ronald Balimwezo has threatened to file a criminal complaint at police over threats on his life from the camp of the incumbent Erias Lukwago.
Balimwezo confirmed to Ono Bwino that he is shocked by the way his immediate opponent is running his campaigns including physically insulting him in the public with threatening statements. Balimwezo also promised to revenge if these provocations don’t stop.
“Any time from now the incumbent will leave that office and another person will occupy it. We should not take this campaign as a do or die as Ali Ssekiranda one of the aides to Omuloodi Lukwago is doing. Lukwago is not a bad man but his people should stop provoking me because they have gangs they command in the city. I also have such gangs but I restrain myself for peaceful campaigns,” Balimwezo said.
He narrated that recently, he was asked by the Leader of Opposition in Parliament Joel Ssenyonyi to escort him to a gathering in Nakawa after he had been threatened. As he was seated listening on what was going on, Ssekiranda squeezed himself behind him and started slapping him at the back asking him who brought him to their gathering and accusing him of trying to spoil their votes.
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Because he was not comfortable, Ssenyonyi picked interest in what was going on and with the help of other people saved the situation.
One of Lukwago’s other assistants a one Ssemogerere come and took Ssekiranda away. Balimwezo alleges that this was not the first provocation made on him by Lukwago’s people.
The development comes at a time when campaigns for Lord Mayor have turned tense after groups of NUP card rejects like Allan Ssewanyanya of Makindye West, Latif Ssebaggala of Kawempe Division and others ganged up to decampaign NUP official candidates in Kampala city including Balimwezo.
These rejects came up with a campaign strategy of recording and distributing Lukwago’s audio message assuring voters that if they still want to stay and work in the city, they should vote him back in the office claiming that other candidates are dealers who want to win the position and sell the entire city to mafias.
Lukwago audio was put on flash and is played on the moving loud speakers in many public spaces including tax parks, markets and streets.
Lukwago’s message has captured the minds of tax drivers especially in Kampala and their leaders including Rashid Ssekindi and Mustafah Mayambala a known supporters of the National Resistance Movement (NRM) have declared their support for him.
“Lukwago was with us when we were fighting against Jennifer Musisi and UTODA. So, not supporting him will be betrayal. But for the position of the president, we shall vote for Museveni,” one of the tax drivers’ leaders in Kampala said
NRM fronted Moses Kizito who works with Hajjat Uzeyi Namyalo at the Office of the NRM National Chairperson at Kyambogo as their Lord Mayor candidate but he is invisible in the race and sources claim that he doesn’t have money for campaigns and he is waiting to be active when President Museveni starts campaigning in Kampala.
Recently, Lukwago declared that he will fight and make sure that some of NUP candidates in the city especially Zahara Luyirika who went to Makindye West do not win.
Lukwago accusses Luyirika of presiding over a KCCA Council which gave away Nakivubo drainage channel to controversial city businessman Hamis Kiggundu.
Another NUP candidate in Lukwago’s bad books is Ali Kasirye Mulyanyama the NUP candidate in Makindye East who first picked interest on contest against him but his leaders’ advised him to leave the position for Balimwezo.
KCCA Councillor Farida Nakabugo assured Lukwago that NUP will also make sure that he is defeated. Nakabugo alleges that Lukwago uses the office of the Lord Mayor to frustrate development in the city.
