The comment Bobi Wine made that made Ssemujju realise he wasn't prepared for politics

• Ibrahim Ssemujju Nganda says Bobi Wine has made a contribution to Uganda's opposition politics.

• He recalled an arrest during the Age Limit Removal protests that made him question Wine's readiness for politics.

• Nganda argues that Wine has built his personal brand more than a strong political institution.

• He says popularity alone cannot replace the experience needed to run a party or a country.

Former Kira Municipality MP Ibrahim Ssemujju Nganda believes National Unity Platform leader and two-time presidential candidate Bobi Wine, alias Robert Kyagulanyi, lacks the experience to build a strong political party, let alone run the country.

Nganda, who says he likes Wine, recalled an incident when they were both under arrest after a protest. He said Wine made a remark that made him question how prepared he was for politics.

Nganda recalled: "They had locked the vehicle, he couldn't breathe. And he said during his campaign that brought him to Parliament, he had said, Bikwase Kyagulanyi. And he said, I know these things are going to be like this, tough."

He made the comments during an interview with NBS TV journalist Canary Mugume. Below is part of the interview transcribed from a video clip.

Canary: Honourable, you don't seem to rate Bobi Wine highly, at least from the statements I have seen you make! What would you consider as his biggest strengths as a leader?

Nganda: I have known Bobi Wine as a musician. He one time invited me and I visited his Kamwokya base, and he took me around. At that time, we were involved in the Walk to Work protests and he told me he had composed a song, Baleke Batambule, and he was asking me if that song would be of help.

I think, from my knowledge, either he was a supporter of Dr Besigye or he supported FDC, I don't know. Because when I contested for Parliament in 2011, he used to facilitate my team that was moving in Magere. At that time, it was MP for Kyadondo East. So, he has made his contribution.

His rise to even become the main opposition presidential candidate must also have surprised him. It's not something that I think he prepared himself for.

One time, we got arrested during the Age Limit Removal. We were put in the same van. I was with him, Allan Ssewanyana, Odonga Otto, [Theodore] Ssekikubo, Gerald Karuhanga... driven to Nagalama. One group was left in Kira.

On our way to Nagalama, we stopped near the residence of former vice-president Specioza Wandera Kazibwe. They had locked the vehicle, he couldn't breathe. And he said during his campaign that brought him to Parliament, he had said, Bikwase Kyagulanyi. And he said, I know these things are going to be like this, tough.

So, he has made his contribution, but from his background, he doesn't have the capacity to construct a political party in the real sense of a political party. And usually, the supporters in Uganda even make things worse. I saw that in FDC.

The people thought Besigye should be bigger than FDC. As long as Besigye is there, it doesn't matter whether you have institutionalised and built a stronger party. And one time, I had a fight with them.

Because I kept saying, and giving examples when I was heading [Mugisha] Muntu's campaign, I consume services of MTN, Airtel, and others. I don't know who the CEOs are. They have concentrated on building brands rather than building themselves.

In Uganda, I think Bobi Wine has concentrated on building himself more than building an institution that will have a lasting impact. And that's why his absence can easily be felt. That's the war I fought in FDC.

And I told the people, yes, Besigye is a human being. There will be a day when Besigye is not there. We should concentrate our efforts on building an institution and not on building and glorifying individuals.

But also, you must understand, I mean the truth should be said, where was Bobi Wine maybe seven or ten years ago? What experience does he have to run the country and to run a political party? He's very popular. He was eloquent. And he easily won the following.

But is he able to process that following into managerial capabilities? That I think I doubt. And I want to be truthful. I like him.

We've met before. We may disagree in the politics. But I don't think he has the capacity to process his popularity into, as I said, managerial capability to run a party but also to run a country.