Ono Bwino can exclusively report that Dr Lina Zedriga the National Unity Platform (NUP) deputy president in charge of Northern Uganda is in high level talks with president Museveni government.
Highly placed State House sources have revealed that this is the third attempt by Museveni to compromise Zedriga to join his government after Robert Kyagulanyi Ssentamu (Bobi Wine) frustrated the previous two efforts.
Museveni through former speaker of parliament Annet Anita Among tried to utilise internal NUP fights especially in 2023 between Bobi Wine and former Leader of Opposition in Parliament Mathius Mpuuga to fish Zedriga who was also very bitter and frustrated with Bobi Wine’s leadership style.
Upon learning about the deal, at the last hour, Bobi Wine personally engaged Zedriga and placed her on a juicy monthly salary with other allowances and assigned her special powers in the party compromising her to abandon the Museveni deal.
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“Bobi Wine was scared, because the 2026 general elections political pressure was building. After losing Mpuuga, it was going to heavily cost the party if they allowed Zedriga to also go like that,” a source said.
However, after the former Chief Justice Owiny Dollo successfully executed Museveni deal of delivering his longtime political opponent and former presidential candidate who commands a lot of international respect, Olara Otunu, Museveni also resurrected his bid to fish Zedriga to join his government.
Museveni appreciated Otunu’s decision of joining him by endorsing his candidature as Uganda’s candidate in the race for the position of the Secretary General of the United Nations which has been Otunu’s lifetime dream.
He was also given security and allowances and even if he loses, there are plans for him to be appointed as a presidential envoy according to sources privy to the details of the deal.
Otunu’s endorsement excited Luos of Uganda, Kenya and South Sudan and if Zedriga is added into the mix, Museveni will score big politically.
“The president is giving a good offer, and it seems Zedriga is also buying it, at her age, she also needs to have a juicy retirement which will help her to take care of her grandchildren,” a source said.
Sources added that the ongoing power struggles and fights in NUP also fueled Zedriga’s decision of thinking about the deal Museveni is placing on the table.
Ono Bwino understands that the fights between the party’s Secretary General David Lewis Rubongoya and Zedriga which resulted into Bobi Wine’s failure to fulfill his promise to buy for her a big car is also threatening the party’s unity.
The signals of misunderstanding among the party top leaders were cited when Zedriga intentionally refused to attend the press conference to welcome JB Nambeshe as the new party acting president replaces her or send him a congratulation message.
Sources said that for the last two months, Zedriga, without giving any explanation has not been attending meetings of the party’s top leaders. She has also been accusing Rubongoya of being a dictator and misleading Bobi Wine on how to run the party.
Ono Bwino also understands that Zedriga is not going to be deployed locally but she will be handling diplomatic government issues under the guidance of Adonia Ayebare who is retiring as Uganda’s representative at the United Nations.
Zedriga is currently out of the country and sources claim that the move is to smoothly facilitate the talks to avoid leakage of critical information concerning the deal before it matures.
Ono Bwino’s efforts to get Zedriga’s comments on the matter were fruitless by press time since we tried her known phone numbers but they were not going through.
However, highly placed sources in NUP disclosed that the party is aware of the allegations and they are closely monitoring the developments.
Salim Kisekka the Bukomansimbi North Member of Parliament and a former personal assistant to former foreign affairs minister Sam Kutesa confirmed that Uganda is desperately in need of fixing its foreign relations and it is the reason why Museveni endorsed Otunu without questioning his chances of winning the seat.
He added that Uganda’s gesture to send UPDF to keep peace in Gaza in the conflict between Israel and Palestine is also a move to keep Uganda in the diplomatic discussions.
Sources added that it is not only Zedriga who is in talks with Museveni government. There are some elected leaders including MPs who think that Bobi Wine is not going to be a factor to determine the 2031 general elections while others think that they will not secure the party card again so they have to plan early if they are to return to parliament.
Bobi Wine who is currently is exile is aware of the political turmoil inside his party that is the reason why he preferred Muhammad Muwanga Kivumbi as a potential candidate to replace Zedriga as the party’s acting president to keep the political momentum of his party especially in Buganda but his wish suffered a setback after he was re-arrested.
