I Have Defeated M7 Twice in an Election – Barnabas Tinkasiimire

After being called a mujahidini politician because of his recent stunts in the National Resistance Party (NRM) caucus where he was barred from attending until he took the issue to judiciary for intervention, Hon.Barnabas Tinkasiimire the MP of Buyaga Constituency has hit back at the party leadership claiming he has defeated President Museveni in an election twice.

Tinkasiimire, while appearing on the Capital Gang last weekend, faulted President Museveni, the National Chairman of the NRM for encouraging rifts within the party by sponsoring Independent NRM leaning candidates to contest against him in Buyaga.

“Museveni has never liked me, which is not a secret and I don’t mind it because liking or not liking someone is a personal choice, but going to the extent of fighting to push me out of the party yet i am a party stronghold in my district where NRM wins 99% of the vote, is absurd.” The MP said.

Tinkasiimire said that twice, President Museveni has sponsored Independent candidates against him and that he was in essence using other individuals to fight the NRM, his own party.

“I have been in parliament for three terms and my contribution has been commendable, however my party doesn’t seem to appreciate but I don’t care because I am working for the people in my constituency. In 2011, the president himself fronted an opponent who came on an independent ticket and funded him.” Tinkasiimire added.

He said he was amused by the fact that the president would fund an independent candidate to contest with a party candidate. Tinkasiimire won the election but he faulted the President for doing the same in 2016 and says he is confident he will have someone even in 2021.

“In 2016, the president again bought Nabaasa Didas the Youth Chairman in Kagadi a plot in my district, built him a house and gave him 1.2bn shillings to contest against me. I have literally defeated the president twice in a election.” Tinka further said.

In defense of the party, government spokesperson Ofwono Opondo admitted that the NRM has started becoming an intolerant party which he said was a bad trait they shall work on internally.