The Alliance for National Transformation(ANT) party president and also flag bearer Maj. Gen. Mugisha Muntu, has said that his party is ready to welcome any aggrieved politician from any political party as long as the person shares their core values.
Speaking to journalists on Saturday, Gen. Muntu revealed that they will be talking to some politicians and convincing them to cross over to ANT.
“We prefer to have people who are convinced about the values we stand for and also those who are convinced that ANT is building for the long term. So anybody who feels aggrieved at any time…we will accept him or her and work with them,” Muntu said.
Muntu also added that, similarly, if there is anybody in ANT now or in the future who feels aggrieved for any reason and feels like walking out of the party, they will have no problem at all with such a person.
He said the political culture in Uganda seems that once there is a disagreement between the two parties, enmity is created but ANT will not be like that.
He explained that ANT is ready to provide an opportunity to some of these members as long as they believe in their ideologies.
Though a number of political players have expressed fear for the use of virtual campaigns and elections, Muntu said that this is a great chance for them to use the opportunity to take overpower.
“You see the regime is highly vulnerable and we see ourselves at an advantage in this situation and we intend to exploit the opportunity to the maximum. We believe we should be able to take power but at the same time we don’t want to engage in debates over that,” he said.
Muntu’s comments come at a time when the Forum For Democratic Change (FDC) party is experiencing the worst exodus of some of its prominent members from the Forum For Democratic Change and other parties.
Last week, over 400 opposition leaning supporters crossed over to the ruling National Resistance Movement party in Soroti district.
The function to receive the group was held on Saturday in Soroti town as the group mostly from Forum for Democratic Change, Uganda People’s Congress handed over their party cards to the Soroti district NRM registrar, Musa Oroma.
“We have received a number of opposition defectors from UPC and FDC. We have the district speaker and a number of district councillors. So far, a total of 471 people have handed over their party cards to us and got NRM cards. Many others have been received in various sub-counties,” Oroma said.
He explained that the ruling NRM party is receiving defectors in all the 18 sub-counties in Soroti as part of the party’s efforts to win the forthcoming 2021 general election.
Oroma mentioned former Soroti municipality mayor, Alfred Aruwo and Soroti district speaker Steven Orebe among the notable ones in the area who have joined the ruling party.
“As a party, we look forward to looking closely with them. They are now members and are entitled to enjoy privileges as all other party members,”Oroma said.
NRM Vice-chairperson for Eastern region, Capti.Mike Mukula recently warned that more defections from the opposition to the ruling NRM party will go on.
Similarly, Jinja East Member of Parliament Paul Mwiru and Ntungamo Muncipality member of parliament, Gerald Karuhanga crossed over from the Forum FDC to the Alliance for National Transformation party this month.
