The Uganda Meritocracy Party (UMP) leaders say they are in talks with pop star cum politician, HE. Bad Bobi Wine, over the use of the people power slogan.
Bobi’s meteoric rise on the political scene in the past two years has earned him global recognition. A red beret, an overall and people power chants is the basic definition of the most loved MP.
Often, during his campaign rallies and other political activities, the Kyarenga star has emphasized that “the power of the people is much stronger than the people in power”, a quote first attributed to Egyptian Internet activist and computer engineer Wael Ghonim; the “keyboard freedom fighter, who became famous during the 2011 pro-democracy demonstrations which ousted President Hosni Mubarak.
In his memoir Revolution 2.0: The power of people is greater than the people in power (2013), Wael explains that People Power turned around Egypt’s fortunes.
But the same People Power Slogan used by Kyagulanyi was registered by the Uganda Meritocracy Party in 2016. The party, which is not known to many Ugandans, is now preparing to launch countrywide activities and is holding talks with Bobi Wine over the slogan.
However, the Party’s Acting Vice President and Spokesperson Ouma Simon Peter says they have not stopped Bobi Wine from using the slogan because he is championing the interests that they will also be promoting.
“For us as party leadership we had no problem with someone using the slogan people power, our problem is with that individual who came out to constrain Ugandans from using that slogan. We have no problem with Mr Kyagulanyi because his vision and ideology follow under the interests of the UMP,” one of the UMP leaders said.
The party was swift to warn Uganda Registration Service Bureau (URSB) and events manager Balaam Barugahare when news emerged that he had registered a charity organisation called people power. But Balaam denied the reports.
“It has come to our attention that Balaam Barugahare one of the businessmen in Kampala has registered a non-government organisation in the name of people power and has immediately threatened any individual/group who attempts to use the above name dire consequences,” the party acting secretary for legal affairs, Mr Wambogo David said in a letter dated January 19.
Credit: Nations Media
Enock Mugabi aka iWitness is a Journalist, Seasoned Writer and Music Analyst with a passion for sports.
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