Nyendo Mukungwe MP Mathias Mpuuga speaks during his thanksgiving ceremony at Kitovu Sports Arena in Masaka City on June 21, 2024. PHOTO | ANTONIO KALYANGO
Last Friday, the embattled Nyendo-Mukungwe MP and a prominent figure in the National Unity Platform (NUP) party hosted a thanksgiving ceremony in his backyard - Kitovu Sports Arena in Masaka City, where all legislators including 57 from his party, were invited.
According to the organisers, a total of 20 legislators from NUP party had confirmed their attendance, but only six showed up. Other MPs, including Brenda Nabukenya (Luweero Woman), Charles Tebandeke (Bbaale) and Michael Lulume of the Democratic Party (DP), who had been co-opted as part of the organising committee, were also absent.
The suspended NUP party vice president for Buganda region and immediate former Leader of the Opposition in Parliament (LoP) had also invited Mr Charles Peter Mayiga, the Katikkiro (premier) of Buganda Kingdom, who was expected as the chief guest, and Archbishop of Kampala Archdiocese, Rev Paul Ssemogerere, as the main celebrant, but they sent representatives.
Why did NUP MPs keep away?
According to insiders, some of the NUP legislators who had confirmed their attendance changed their minds at the eleventh hour because of alleged pressure from some top party leaders, who are said to have threatened to deny them party tickets for the forthcoming 2026 General Election.
“There has been intimidation from some of our top party leaders against those who wanted to attend the thanksgiving… some NUP members were ready to attend the Mass but feared being branded supporters of Mpuuga and shied away,” a NUP MP, who preferred anonymity, said at the weekend.
Mityana District Woman MP Joyce Bagala, who was part of the organising committee in-charge communication and publicity, had earlier made it clear that she would rather lose the NUP party ticket, but keep her friendship with Mr Mpuuga.
Ms Bagala, a former TV news anchor, is among a handful of NUP legislators who have stood with Mr Mpuuga ever since he fell out with NUP’s top leadership.
A dozen of NUP MPs who Daily Monitor interviewed, declined to comment on the matter, saying their views don’t add any value since the event ended.
But Kalungu West MP Joseph Ssewungu said: “My position was clear right from the start that I would not attend. Nobody stopped me and no one has the authority to direct me to attend functions.”
At the weekend, a division councillor, Fred Kiyimba (Ggulu Ward-Kitete) in Mukono Municipality, who attended Mr Mpuuga’s event, was roughed up by party supporters, accusing him of betrayal.
Busiro East MP Medard Sseggona, a senior party member and among the few party MPs who attended the ceremony, and gave a keynote address, dismissed rumours that NUP top leadership threatened not to give their MPs party tickets in the next election once they attended the event.
“Ignore those who say NUP MPs who have come here will not be given party cards. No party leader has called me to tell me that. Maybe they feared me, but according to what I have done, I’m sure I deserve the ticket and I have no doubt I will get it,” he said.
Mr Alex Waiswa Mufumbiro, the NUP party deputy spokesperson, denied reports of threatening party MPs, saying it was their choice not to attend ceremony.
On the NUP legislators who attended, Mr Mufumbiro said no disciplinary action will be taken against them.
Background
Mr Mpuuga, also a commissioner of Parliament, is at loggerheads with the leadership of his party, NUP, which faults him for receiving Shs500m “service award” from Parliament . Mr Mpuuga and three backbench commissioners from the ruling National Resistance Movement (NRM) received Shs1.7b in May 2022 as a “service award” from Parliament. The other commissioners – Prossy Mbabazi Akampulira (Rubanda District Woman), Esther Afoyochan (Zombo District Woman) and Solomon Silwanyi (Bukooli Central) bagged Shs400m each. The three were among the guests at the Masaka ceremony.
The NUP party leadership described the “service ward” as an act of corruption and abuse of office and asked Mr Mpuuga to step down as commissioner, and also apologise to Ugandans. Mr Mpuuga roundly rejected the call to resign, arguing that he deserved the one-off award and that it was not criminal in any way.
Mr Sseggona, who described Mr Mpuuga as a long-time friend and ‘brother’, has since defended the latter for pocketing the Shs500m “service award”. The seasoned politician and lawyer, said those who term it as an act of corruption are ignorant about how Parliament operates or are doing it intentionally to mislead the public
Mr Dick Lukyamuzi, an opinion leader in Masaka City, said the current political atmosphere in Uganda spells doom for the country’s political future.
He said very few politicians can make independent decisions and many fear to guide their leaders even when they are making outright political blunders.
“What was exhibited [avoiding Mr Mpuuga’s event] by some people without any sound reason shows the calibre of politicians we currently have. They cannot make independent decisions regarding certain issues due to some push factors,” he said.
He said attending such a function could not take away one’s political belief, but it is a sign that he/she can mingle with people he disagrees with politically.
On the Masaka-based politicians who didn’t turn up for the event, Mr Lukyamuzi said this is a sign there are unresolved political differences within the NUP leadership in the area.
“Mpuuga has always been seen changing political parties right from the beginning. He first contested under Suubi, a pressure group, then DP and now NUP. It will not be a surprise if he joined another political movement. Many leaders have abandoned him due to this inconsistency,” he said.
He added that reconciliation between NUP top leadership and Mr Mpuuga is unlikely considering what was observed during the Masaka event.
“The attire that some people wore for the occasion showed that Mpuuga is planning another political move. The shirts with inscriptions “Mpuuga is my leader,” the orange colour, all show there is an ideology that they are building for their next step in politics, he said.
Dr Abed Bwanika, the MP for Kimaanya-Kabonero Division in Masaka City, and a key figure in Mr Mpuuga’s camp, confirmed after the function that NUP is no longer their political home.
“We are done with NUP. If you have been observant, even the colours we are using are different from theirs,” he said.
But at the same function, Mr Mpuuga differed with Dr Bwanika, insisting that he will not quit NUP, but work from within to cause regime change in Uganda.
However, Mr Mpuuga said he will now dedicate all his energies to “teaching youth clean politics and mobilising all change-seeking forces to demand meaningful electoral reforms that will surely deliver the first peaceful change of power in Uganda.”
Mr Mpuuga, said he has tasted enough mudslinging and vowed not to be undermined anymore.
“I am a bit tough and this time round, no one is going to malign me and just walk away. I will defend my name at all costs, but I remain calm as usual,” he said.
As he continues to dive into the murky political waters, Mr Mpuuga, said he is going to be very conscious about the people he deals with.
“What I have gone through has taught me many lessons and starting today, I will first look at what people do, not what they say, before deciding to work with them,” he said.
In Masaka, Mr Mpuuga is also at loggerheads with a section of NUP leaders in the area led by Masaka City Mayor Florence Namayanja over running party activities under the “Kunga Uganda” mobilisation campaign, which aims at drumming up support ahead of 2026 elections. Mr Mpuuga’s group claims the campaign targets seasoned politicians like him at the advantage of newcomers jostling to join Parliament in the next election.
NUP splinter group led by Dr Bwanika has already declared Mr Mpuuga as its leader, opposing party president Robert Kyagulanyi, alias Bobi Wine.
Several opinion leaders, including religious and cultural leaders in the region, have advised the warring parties to amicably settle their grievances.
The NUP legislators who attended the Masaka ceremony include Dr Bwanika, Juliet Kakande (Masaka City Woman), Ms Bagala, Mr Sseggona, Mr Michael Kakembo (Entebbe Municipality ) and Twaha Kagabo (Bukoto South).
Other were Ms Akampulira, Ms Afoyochan, Mr Asuman Basalirwa (Bugiri Municipality), Iddi Isabirye (Bunya South), Bumaali Mpindi (PWDs) and Herbert Edmond Ariko (Soroti East)
Other notable politicians included State Minister for Microfinance Haruna Kasolo, Conservative Party president John Ken Lukyamuzi, and Joseph Kabuleta, the president of National Economic Empowerment Dialogue.
Compiled by Al-Mahdi Ssenkabirwa, Esther Namugwe & Antonio Kalyango
