OVER 20 Liberal Democratic Party (LDP) youth brigade leaders of Mayor Nasser Ssebaggala yesterday crossedto the Uganda Federal Alliance (UFA). The youth said they represented about 10,000 people. They were received by the UFA leader, Beti Kamya, at Nakivubo stadium.

The youth were members of the Liberal Democratic Party which Ssebaggala formed after falling out with DP. Led by Mbuga Semeyi and Eng Katumba Muzamiru, the youth said they did not agree with Sebaggala’s desertion of the party for the NRM. “We suffered a lot under the NRM leadership and we hate it because it stopped the Kabaka, Ronald Mutebi, from visiting Kayunga district last year,” Muzamiru said. They also cited neglect and hopelessness in the DP which they said was experiencing divisions that had torn it apart.

Kamya, while addressing the press at Jovan Hotel in Bakuli- Mengo after receiving another group of defectors, said they would add votes to the Uganda Federal Alliance. Frank Matovu, formerly the DP vice-chairperson for Lubaga North, coordinated the defections. “These youth have skills of guard against vote rigging, they will also add numbers to the voters of UFA and will boost our strength in Buganda,” said Kamya. She added that defectors were welcome since it meant that the message for the need of federalism over unitary government was being heeded. She added that the federal youth brigade would not guarantee total protection of UFA votes but would boost their mechanisms of protecting their votes.

Others who defected were John Francis Katende, Cyrus Lukwago, Samuel Mujuzi, Mugerwa Kidugaro, and Catherine Rwatangabo.