The Butambala County Member of Parliament (MP), Muhammad Muwanga Kivumbi, known for his affiliation with the National Unity Platform (NUP), has openly criticized his party president, Robert Kyagulanyi, accusing him of coercing dissenting voices within the party.
Addressing journalists at Parliament on March 20, 2024, Kivumbi expressed frustration with the ongoing purge of Democratic Party (DP) bloc members who joined NUP in 2020 to advocate for regime change, only to find themselves entangled in internal power struggles within Uganda’s foremost opposition party.
Kivumbi’s refusal to attend the NUP Parliamentary caucus, called by Kyagulanyi to discuss the removal of Mathias Mpuuga from the parliamentary commissioner post over corruption allegations, was deliberate. He asserted his refusal to be intimidated by the prospect of expulsion from NUP, emphasizing that his parliamentary seat is not contingent upon party affiliation.
Having served two terms in parliament prior to joining NUP, Kivumbi emphasized that neither he nor his colleagues would be defined by their association with the Makerere-Kavule-based party.
He questioned Kyagulanyi’s notion that NUP membership is a privilege, reminding him that established politicians predated the party’s rise and have significantly contributed to its current stature.
Kivumbi’s stance resonates with a significant faction within NUP, refusing to attend the caucus and pledging allegiance to the Mpuuga-led group. This faction teeters on the brink of a potential split, driven by perceived harassment from the People Power faction, led by Kyagulanyi and his associates.
Political analysts foresee a looming breakaway within NUP, which could diminish the party’s parliamentary representation akin to struggling entities like the Uganda People’s Congress, struggling to maintain a presence with fewer than ten members of parliament.
