The family of Mukono municipality legislator is uncomfortable in recent days with an increased threats towards their children.
Our sources have intimated that Betty Nambooze is upset that there is a group of people sending threats to three of her children, saying they’ll be killed.
Sylvia Bakireke, of the children of the Bakireke, has been profiled by social media trotters. She has been sent death threats.
One of the messages warns her that her home is known to them and that she would be slaughtered.
Sylvia’s undoing is that her mother is a politician.
While past threats towards Nambooze’s life have reportedly come from the State, however, this time round, it’s people professing to be supporters of Robert Kyagulanyi aka Bobi Wine, who Nambooze supported in the last election.
Kyagulanyi swept Greater Mukono and officially buried one of NRM’s backyards in Buganda.
However, threats that Nambooze stays away from Bobi Wine have increased in the recent past. The people who hide behind Bobi Wine supporters are now using social media posts, to tag or send her children, life threatening messages. They say if Nambooze doesn’t leave Bobi Wine alone, they would have her children.
The posts say, Nambooze should back off her interest in any serious leadership position in NUP, particularly the LoP position.
“Bakireke’s children are innocent. They’re not politicians. Why involve children in political fights,” one of Nambooze’s aides told this website.
The race for Leader of Opposition smells dirty in every direction. Never before in the recent past has this office attracted so much interest, like it is today ahead of the opening of the 11th Parliament.
As Robert Kyagulanyi closed files in the Supreme court to challenge President Museveni’s victory in the January 14 elections, the focus on who becomes leader of opposition in Parliament has attracted so much interest.
Among names fronted include Betty Nambooze Bakireke, Mathias Mpuuga, Medard Sseggona, Joel Ssenyonyi among others.
Kyagulanyi has showed interest in the battle toughness of the Mukono municipality Representative, who in the last days of the campaign turned the tide in the Greater Mukono and flipped it towards NUP.
Social media armies alleging to be allied to National Unity platform (NUP) have fought similar battles before, notably against Dr Kizza Besigye, who they accused of blocking opportunities for other leaders to rise in the opposition.
Every parent is taken aback when threats to their children’s lives are made by anyone. And Besigye’s child, Anselm just developed a thick skin and just wades off criticism.
Kyagulanyi’s children suffered security threats when they headed to USA ahead of elections, when their travel itinerary was leaked on social media.
Now Nambooze’s children including Jeff Kisawuzi and Joshua Bakireke get similar warnings to watch their backs.
When we reached out to Nambooze, she said, she has nowhere to report but to the chief of all police chiefs, God.
“I put that in God’s hands,” said Nambooze. “When I wrote about the late Abiriga, someone showed us they’re following what’s online by summoning me. But no one is following up on who’s threatening my children with deaths”.
When Parliament opens in May, among the hotly contested races include speaker, and deputy, as well as Leader of Opposition and opposition chief whip.
The party with majority in the house, either way, have the most say who takes which positions. NRM has majority in the House and NUP leads the opposition majority in the next August house.
With rumours that Amama Mbabazi is likely to return to the prime minister job, and leader of government business, the country is watching who Bobi Wine will give the LoP office.
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