Opinion: Chameleone is now without a home

Yesterday, the National Unity Platform picked their nominee for the Lord Mayor in Kampala. That happens not to be Joseph Mayanja aka Jose Chameleone lost that one to Latif Ssebagala, the MP for Kawempe North.

Now, Chameleone have gone from National Resistance Movement (NRM) to the Democratic Party (DP) and finally to the National Unity Platform (NUP). Yesterday was a final blow to his campaign. The NRM have picked Ragga Dee, Democratic Party have picked Beatrice Kayanja. Forum for Democratic Change (FDC) have incumbent Erias Lukwago and now the NUP have picked Latif Ssebagala.

The race is settling in now. There aren’t many places to go. Only one will win too. The race is hardened too. There is also the independent Nabilah Naggayi Sempala, who was the Kampala Woman MP for FDC. Chameleone might have to follow the same route now. As all the doors and venues where he had friends is closed.

Chameleone have toyed around in every circle and gotten opportunities, except for the NUP. Where he was barred from entering. He surely should regret leaving the DP and the steady home of Mao. A place where he was a mobilizer and prepared for him. Still, he left that one for the NUP and lost.

Now, we can wonder is his plan ahead. Since, he doesn’t have a chance in the NRM, neither in the DP or in the NUP. Not likely that he joins the Justice Forum, Uganda Federalist Alliance or anything else. I don’t think they have open arms to him either. They have seen how easily he has ditched a party to greener pastures…

Chameleone played the political game, he gambled and apparently lost. This is not shocking, but for someone who has invested in it. He clearly haven’t got much left for his work. The man are now without a home and a base. Just another “independent” candidate in heavy contested field over one seat and one title.

The Lord Mayor of Kampala is only one of. All of these running for it. Only one will get it. Not like they can get various of councillors seats in a local council. It is only one mayor. Chameleone have to beat not only Lukwago, but the rest of the candidates too. Which would be a magical feat in itself. Alas, he will most likely lose no matter what party he represent.

However, he could have someone behind him and make him relevant politically after the race in 2021. Which will not happen now. Now his a single running candidate in a sea of candidates. He might be a known character, but not a trusted one. He has shown his savvy ways and how easily he could shift camps.

Chameleone was a fool for this one. Even if he build parallel structures while aiming at the NUP seat. His still a looser before the race begins. He had a safe bet in the DP. As Lukwago was leaving already. Something that went official. Alas, that wasn’t enough for him and he wanted a bigger flag-ship. Which wasn’t his anyway… Peace.

Opinion: Is the DP dying since they cannot field candidates internally? [Mayoral Aspirant of Kampala]

As of today, the Democratic Party under Party President Norbert Mao has fielded an “independent” candidate on the DP ticket. This is happening for various of reasons. The DP as a party have lost vital members, leaders and lawmakers to other parties. The boat is leaking and there is no intent of stopping the leakage, apparently.

Mao has chosen a person who launched her own campaign back on the 22nd July 2020, Beatrice Kayanja to run as the DP Lord Mayoral Flag-bearer for Kampala in the 2021 General Elections. That is fine in itself. Her acumen as a businesswoman and entrepreneur speaks for herself. Her role as an activist for development and leading a conference to bring business to Uganda speaks for herself. Alas, Beatrice as the person isn’t the issue.

It is the supposed grassroot mobilisation. The party structure and the lack of potential new leaders, which should worry. As the man has dissolved the DP Block, the coalition ahead of the General Election. As it didn’t get the spark and the needed juice to become a TDA or IPC. It just became “hot-air” and got forgotten.

It must be a reason, why the party are picking out a person who has been vocal online and in social media. A person who has already retained her own aspiration for the Lord Mayor and would stand alone doing it. The DP must really be weak to do this. That they cannot find anyone of their members, inside the party and within the DP Kampala to stand as the Lord Mayor.

That is how it seems. Since, they we’re already pushing Joseph Mayanja aka Jose Chameleone as the Lord Mayor, but he ditched the party for NUP. Their previous and incumbent Lord Mayor Erias Lukwago has gone to the FDC. Therefore, the two big-shots, the ones who has a big platform and would be recognized would not stand as the Flag-Bearer this time around.

The fallout of Chameleone must really hurt Mao. As he offered appointments and political capital to him before he went to NUP. It was just the ambition and the meal-ticket politician who left DP for NUP. That wasn’t shocking, but shows that even Mao’s offerings wasn’t that sweet. If it was, a man like Jose would stick around.

You can wonder, why does the oldest party of the Republic got to pick a random candidate of their own? If their was picking outside their own party, why not start negotiations with Nabilah Naggay Sempala, the Woman MP for Kampala? She cannot stand as MP and have been blocked from the FDC. She has a name and is well-known, why go for Beatrice?

That is why the DP is weak. The decisions seems to be short-sighted at best. Yes, it is better to field someone like Sempala MP. If they are believing in the race and wants to invest in it. Use a familiar face and re-issue her as a priced deflector. That would be a bet and show some political game. Not that Sempala MP has any positive reputation and is another one of those who does what it takes during campaigning, but is never seen after the elections. Still, she would have some character into the mix. Not sure what Kayanja will do…

It only shows that the DP doesn’t trust their own and doesn’t promote their own. At least not to the positions that counts. The ones with prestige and honour. There they need the names, the shiny diamonds and the ones who can spark interest. Instead, of considering using own machinery and vet their own. It might have failed in the first run, maybe even in the second. But, when a man or woman campaigns enough and proves their pedigree to the public. They could easily get elected, as they know this activist and this politician isn’t all talk, but actual game too…

Mao seems to have forgotten that and wants to do the quick fix. His fielding someone new. Someone who hasn’t the grand stand, his fielding an “independent” as his own and apparently deliberately so. He has picked a quick fix, gotten Kayanja’s blessing and a agreement to make it happen. Before they did launch it and now made it official. Still, it’s more a gain for Kayanja, than it is for DP. It just makes DP look weak and lack of internal candidates to back-up the needs of the party. Since, they had to pick someone from the outside again to be fielded.

It was first Jose and now Beatrice. Who knows how they fix others, but this is surely not from a place of strength, but of weakness. Peace.

Kampala Lord Mayor Race: Is DP’s Kayanja a wild-card?

Now, the Democratic Party have finally fielded a candidate to become Lord Mayor of Kampala. This being Beatrice Kayanja, a businesswoman who has resided in the United Kingdom and visited the farms of the President in the past. She is now the one taking over for Erias Lukwago on the DP Ticket.

That happens after Jose Chameleone is running on the National Unity Platform (NUP) for Lord Mayor of Kampala. He was previously the DP candidate for this slot, but he moved to NUP instead of DP. That is why the DP needed to find someone else.

As well, as Erias Lukwago officially entered the Forum for Democratic Change (FDC) and will be for the first time running for the Lord Mayor on this ticket. While Nabilah Nagayi Ssempala MP, the former Kampala Woman MP for the FDC is running in the same race.

While the NRM might field Ragga Dee again or former Lord Mayor Nasser Ntege Ssebagala. The race is already heavy packed and with Kayanja. Will it make a difference? Has the DP found a successor?

Because, Lord Mayor Lukwago is the incumbent and a respected leader in Kampala. He has a standing and you need to be special to beat him there. That is why the DP needed something refreshing and new to pick up the ante.

This is why they wanted first Chameleone, but he ditched them. Even as he was appointed mobilizer for the DP, but still wasn’t seeing enough options there. That is why he fled to the NUP and has bigger hope for his candidacy there.

While Lukwago was lost… he had already moved on and only made it officially. That is why the Independent Running candidate Kayanja could become a DP Flag-bearer. She officially started her campaign in July, but is announced in September. Meaning she has been campaigning and building up her team for months before Mao rubber-stamps her.

That is why its a race with many characters, but the voters and the public has to see who they will trust. The DP is for the ones who are willing. The FDC got a winner, the NRM might field former losers or even stalwarts of the party. Because, the opposition has a stronghold of the capital. That is why the President has disrespected the leadership there for so long.

Kayanja is a wild-card. Do I believe she will win? No, but she is a fresher in this field. She has to make herself relevant in the eyes of the nation and in the capital. The DP have captured someone who has already started and can build on that. However, they are also showing that they didn’t have any internal candidates to field. As they just snapped and communicated with an “independent” to make them officially part of the team. That should worry the ones who are behind the DP banner.

Enough for today. Still a long time to the polls. Peace.