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Through Bobi Wine, the youth in Uganda are making a clear statement

Wednesday August 01 2018
Bobi Wine Pix

Bugiri Municipality MP Elect Asuman Basalirwa, with Kyadondo East MP Robert Kyagulanyi

When the cameras turned away from the usual Museveni-Besigye influence in the Kyaddondo By-election to focus on the ‘abnormal politician’, Robert Kyagulanyi, it seemed like a simple one-off that would fade away immediately once he would step into that office.

Many never expected him to say much or do much but rather slide back into his role as a Musician, and continue enjoying his huge MP-salary.

And for that youthful influence that had taken over the Kyaddondo by-election, many thought that was the last of it.

I didn’t!

Mr Robert Kyagulanyi has not been the passive legislator many thought he would be.

He has chosen to slay the political dragon with the kind of vigour that has caught many by surprise.

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He is not about to dim these lights anytime soon and it has now reached the point of, ‘Tag along Bobi or be left out!’.

He has been active in all important discussions in the country and this has subsequently afforded him above par media attention.

However, this above par media attention, in my opinion, is not just because he is the ‘abnormal’ MP (Musician and legislator), it is also because of his power to rally the youth behind him; a major demographic in Uganda.

And we can all agree that he has been doing this very well. The youth (and media) cannot seem to get enough of Bobi! The youth have backed him up on all his recent political ‘activations’ or endeavors. It, therefore, came with little surprise that when he decided to back JEEMA’s candidate, Asuman Basaalirwa in the just concluded Bugiri By-election, the youth would back him up, resulting in a landslide victory for Basaalirwa.

No surprise indeed but, the youth are clearly making a statement and I think I know it!

The youth are clearly tired of the ‘same-old’ old faces that have, for many years, graced both the opposition and the NRM.

Kizza Besigye has, for a very long time, rallied masses because many people have seemingly been ‘tired’ of the government.

Any new ideas from KB? Nope…! The NRM Junta (in Kizza Besigye’s voice) have also ‘managed’ to win elections with ‘massive’ crowds for over 30 years. (Let me spell it out clearly; THIRTY YEARS!).

The youth are clearly tired of these two factions.

They must be feeling the urge to have something new; new ideas, new horizons, new suggestions, new hopes.

And that is exactly what they see in Robert Kyagulanyi aka Bobi Wine.

They will, therefore, vote for new! They will vote for Bobi and whoever he fronts because they feel that he is their new hope. They will vote for youthfulness and pro-youth ideology because they are simply tired of the same old.

And do not sit there and think that they are about to stop. It is just the beginning. The youth are making a statement, and it is a clear statement of CHANGE!

Mr Tamale is a Marketing and Communications Specialist

ALSO READ: Basalirwa declared MP-elect for Bugiri municipality

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