NUP, ANT Refuse to Join Besigye’s PFT

On Wednesday, four-time presidential candidate and leader of the Peoples’ Front for Transition (PFT) Dr. Kizza Besigye made overtures to the main opposition party the National Unity Platform (NUP) and the Alliance for National Transformation, asking them to join a common front dubbed the Joint Opposition Front aimed at forcing the ruling NRM out of power.

We have written to NUP, ANT formally, Dr Kizza Besigye

In an interview with NBS TV, Major General Mugisha Muntu the National Coordinator of the Alliance for National Transformation said they were yet to receive the official invite from the PFT. He however, said the young party has put emphasis on setting up national structures and attracting supporters to improve its chances of competing for power in the next polls.

If they require to get a brief from us, we will just repeat what we informed them of last time. We indicated that we needed to focus on building our organisational capabilities which end in May, that is what we are working on,”  Mugisha Muntu.

The National Unity Platform, Uganda’s main opposition party is also yet to receive the official invite from the PFT. Party Spokesperson Joel Ssenyonyi told NBS TV that while the party seeks unity of the opposition, it may not require everyone joining one party or platform rather using the same voice for change.

Kenya did it, they pushed out Daniel Arap Moi, it wasn’t done by one political party, or one entity or pressure group, it was done by Kenyans, we should be able to do that in Uganda,” Joel Ssenyonyi.

Uganda’s opposition has remained divided since the restoration of multiparty politics in 2005. To political scholars, this disunity has worked in the ruling NRM’s favour, with the party going on to cement its control of government at each subsequent election.