The opposition National Unity Platform (NUP) is facing an imminent dissolution ahead of the 2026 general elections.
This website can exclusively reveal that the NUP is entangled in two legal petitions that are expected to be ruled against the party, propelling it into a deep constitutional crisis.
The core of NUP’s issues stems from a controversial change in leadership that occurred in 2020.
The National Unity, Reconciliation, and Development Party (NURDP), which was earlier bought off to form NUP, recently publicly renounced its agreement, casting doubt on the legitimacy of NUP’s leadership.
This development follows a December 2023 petition to the Electoral Commission led by NURDP founding member John Bosco Kibalama, who claims that Robert Kyagulanyi’s leadership appointment via an extraordinary delegates’ conference was unlawful.
According to a source closely following these proceedings, an imminent ruling in Kibalama’s favor would effectively strip Kyagulanyi and his supporters of their authority within the NUP, dismantling the party’s current structure entirely.
Additionally, observers have pointed out that NUP is operating without a formal constitution. Since its inception, the party has relied on NURDP’s constitution while attempting to establish its own.
A rift was exposed when Kyagulanyi sought to dismiss Mathias Mpuuga, the deputy for the Buganda region, invoking the nonexistent constitution. Mpuuga’s team subsequently filed a court case against NUP for operating without an official governing document.
Justice Simon Byabakama, Chairperson of the Electoral Commission (EC), has shed light on the status of NUP’s constitutional amendment efforts. He confirmed that although the party submitted a request to amend its constitution, the process is currently on hold due to legal disagreements raised by members regarding the internal management, which led to the court petition.
“Before we could determine the complaint, the same individuals took the matter to court,” Byabakama stated, highlighting that the ongoing judicial process restricts the party to its outdated constitution until resolution occurs.
This detention in legal limbo points towards an unfavorable fate for NUP under the stipulations of the Political Parties and Organizations Act of 2005, which mandates that parties must present constitutions to maintain their registration.
THE FALLBACK PLAN
Amid these disconcerting developments, a new political initiative has risen as a potential alternative to NUP.
Orchestrated by NUP’s Secretary General David Rubongonya, who is the only sober-minded person at the Makere-Kavule-based party, the People Power Front (PPF), which was launched in 2024, is set to be the new umbrella where NUP people will run to should NUP be dissolved.
As these developments unfold, all eyes will remain on the courts and the Electoral Commission, which will undoubtedly shape the trajectory of Uganda’s political opposition as the nation gears up for the upcoming general elections.
