The National Unity Platform (NUP) is headed for a mega split, a move likely to reverse all the political gains and inroads it has made since 2017.
Having first emerged on the political scene as People Power Movement, it later formalized as National Unity, Reconciliation and Development Party (NURP) before rebranding to NUP in 2020.
A lot has been achieved by this nascent party in this short period including eclipsing Forum for Democratic Change (FDC) as Uganda’s largest opposition party in terms of number of legislators subscribing to it.
Thanks to a number of Mps from NRM, FDC, DP and independents who came out to ally with People Power coupled with the 2021 general polls wave which saw the party take 57 legislators in parliament.
However, intelligence received by this publication suggests that one of the party’s key figures, Mathias Mpuuga (Mp Nyendo-Mukungwe Division, Masaka City) is set to quit the party.
And that’s not all, Mpuuga, a former Leader of Opposition in Parliament who also doubles as NUP’s vice president Buganda region is in the final phase of launching his own political party.
Sources say this is something he has been planning for sometime but gained momentum when NUP bosses “ganged up against him” in the last three weeks for his alleged involvement in the parliamentary commissioners ‘Service Award’ saga.
Mpuuga became the centre of attention in an ongoing social media protest under the hashtag #UgandaParliamentExhibition after leaked documentation revealed that together with other three parliamentary commissioners irregularly awarded themselves taxpayers’ money christened as “Service Award.”
Mpuuga was personally allocated 500 million.
NUP has asked him to step down as the commissioner, a directive he has defied.
Sources in NUP say the next decision is to send him to the party’s disciplinary committee which will eventually sack him as vice president Buganda.
They are cautious not to chase him from the party to minimize the resultant damage from this fallout.
With all this going on, Mpuuga has decided to move on to launch his own party.
The name, symbols and other necessary requirements to enable his new party registration have all been secured and by press time, his team had been sighted at Electoral Commission’s (EC) offices in the industrial area for this purpose.
NUP is reportedly holding forth and back meetings on how to manage this new development.
The fears are that Mpuuga will walk away with a number of Mps especially those he came with from Democratic Party in 2020.
These include Betty Nambooze Bakireke, [Mukono municipality], Medard Lubega Sseggona [Busiro East], Muwanga Kivumbi [Butambala], Florence Namyanja [Bukoto East], Veronica Nanyondo [Bukomansimbi woman], Joseph Ssewungu [Kalungu West], Allan Ssewanyana [Makindye West], and Emmanuel Kigozi Ssempala (Makindye-Ssabagabo) among others.
We are told Mpuuga is also likely to be joined by some other disgruntled NUP Mps like Kawempe South’s Bashir Kazibwe.
According to sources, there has been a reported covert plot to topple Bobi Wine as the principal in NUP by DP block defectors and install Mpuuga in a coup that was to be bloodless.
Bobi Wine learnt about this and acted quickly to disarm Mpuuga.
Sources also say Buganda Katikkiro Peter Mayiga is the invisible force behind Mpuuga.
We have exclusively learnt that prominent Baganda nationalists are behind this move and their endgame is to re-establish Buganda influence in national politics especially in post Museveni era Uganda.
To do so, a new leader who has a national appeal must be installed.
There is Mpuuga and Buganda Katikkiro Charles Peter Mayiga. One of these, sources say, may appear on the presidential ballot box in the near future.
Insiders say, the plan is to have the Kabaka pronounce himself in support of Mayiga or Mpuuga and subjects will follow suit and Bobi Wine will be no more.
Sources say this explains why Bobi Wine adherents don’t want to go down without putting on a fight.
Observers opine that the Buganda nationalists need someone who is not radical like Bobi but instead focused, reconciliatory, good at negotiation, patriotic, knowledgeable, an expert, experienced and above all transparent: and to them Mpuuga or Mayiga are right candidates.
Buganda nationalists or traditionalists accuse Bobi Wine of usurping Mengo powers.
That whereas in the past those with political ambitions in the central region used to flock to Mengo (Kabaka) for guidance, advice and blessings, these days instead they go to Magere (Wine’s home).
There has been talk that ever since Bobi Wine ascended on the political stage, Ugandans and Baganda started listening to him politically and shunned Mengo (Kabaka).
Magere replaced Mengo.
It was always a preserve of Mengo to set political agenda for the rest of its subjects and Mengo officials’ word was always final. This has not settled well with Buganda kingdom traditionalists who believe in the alpha and omega of Buganda kingdom.
That this also explains why Mengo no longer has a say in VP, ministerial, and other key appointments like it was before.
More so, it was unheard of that non Baganda like Shamim Malende (Kampala woman Mp), Derrick Nyeko Keko (Makindye East Mp) can contest in the heart of Buganda and win.
These Buganda Kingdom traditionalists feel Mengo has lost its place in influencing politics in Uganda due to Bobi Wine and this must be reversed and Mpuuga or Mayiga can be their lightning rod.
Sources also say that had it not been pressure from Buganda Kingdom, maybe Mpuuga wouldn’t have been the LoP.
Bobi Wine’s first choice was reportedly Kassanda district Woman Mp, Flavia Nabagabe Kalule.
Curiously in the days leading to LoP appointment she started behaving in funny ways akin to a mad person and she had to be dropped.
NRM MISSION SUCCEEDS
Highly placed sources told us that NRM could be behind the chaos in NUP. This mission was reportedly handed to Speaker Anita Among.
We are told the ‘Service Award’ saga which set everything in motion was an NRM strategy.
The plan was however, to first ensure Mpuuga gets this money and then the matter gets leaked to the public.
Sources however, say he has not received the sh500m ‘Service Award’.
To leave an egg on NUP’s face, Mpuuga plans to refuse this money, according to sources.
With Mpuuga’s exit, can the centre hold anymore at NUP?