By Veteran opposition politician and former Buikwe South MP Dr. Michael Lulume Bayiga has officially crossed from the Democratic Party (DP) to the newly registered People’s Front for Freedom (PFF), citing betrayal of democratic ideals by DP’s current leadership and a renewed commitment to the struggle for justice and good governance in Uganda.
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Speaking during a packed media event at Katonga Road, Dr. Bayiga accused DP president Nobert Mao and his allies of surrendering to what he termed the “dictatorship” of President Yoweri Museveni. “They got tired of fighting for freedom, justice, and human rights. That is not the Democratic Party I knew,” Bayiga said.
The former DP firebrand, who cut his political teeth as a member of the Young Democrats alongside current PFF interim president Lord Mayor Erias Lukwago, said his decision to join PFF was both “courageous and bold,” driven by the need to continue the fight with like-minded progressives.
“I have joined the PFF not for comfort, but to continue the war for the soul of Uganda,” Bayiga declared. “This is the breed I belong to — fighters who never surrender.”
Dr. Bayiga was warmly welcomed by the PFF leadership, including Lukwago, Hon. Salaam Musumba, and other opposition stalwarts. Lukwago, visibly emotional, described the reunion with Bayiga as “deeply refreshing and reassuring,” recalling their activism together at Makerere University and later in the trenches of opposition politics.
“What bonds us is not political convenience but a shared vision to liberate our country from the Kaguta dynasty,” Lukwago said. “We are not here for expediency — we are here for Uganda.”
Hon. Salaam Musumba noted that the addition of Dr. Bayiga and others from DP was symbolic of a broader political realignment: “You have found the right platform that gives Uganda a voice and a choice.”
In a show of strength and expanding support, Dr. Bayiga arrived with a delegation that included Frank Semukuyye, Speaker of Kira Municipality, Wilson Mayanja Mamba, Eric Mbirika from Busia, and Yusuf Semuo Gerere, chairperson from Bukoto South, among others. More supporters from Bugiri, Buyende, and other parts of Busoga were said to be en route.
Bayiga vowed to actively mobilise for PFF and called on other democracy-seeking Ugandans to rally around the platform. “We are willing to be sent anywhere, anytime,” he said. “Just like General Kizza Besigye, we will never give up the fight.”
The People’s Front for Freedom (PFF) is expected to hold its official inaugural national convention on Tuesday, July 9, where it will unveil interim leaders and its political programme. Dr. Bayiga’s defection is expected to boost the group’s visibility and widen its national appeal as Uganda heads into a heated electoral season.
“Freedom for all,” Dr. Bayiga concluded, to chants and applause from supporters.
