Fresh reports reveal that National Unity Platform (NUP) President Robert Kyagulanyi Ssentamu, popularly known as Bobi Wine, is actively pursuing reconciliation with rebel MPs who previously aligned themselves with ousted Deputy President Mathias Mpuuga.
Sources indicate the move aims to politically isolate Mpuuga—removed as Leader of the Opposition (LoP) in December 2023 and replaced by Nakawa East MP Joel Ssenyonyi—as the party gears up for the 2026 elections.
According to insider accounts, Kyagulanyi’s strategy hinges on mending ties with nearly all rebel legislators, leaving Mpuuga stranded with only a handful of allies, including MPs Abed Bwanika and Juliet Kakande. This calculated unity push, insiders claim, seeks to bolster Kyagulanyi’s authority and consolidate support within NUP ahead of the high-stakes campaign season.
Kyagulanyi has reportedly kept communication channels open for MPs like Mityana Woman MP Joyce Bagala and Lubaga North’s Veronica Nanyondo, urging them to seek reconciliation directly.
Those who apologize are likely to retain parliamentary seats on the NUP ticket, a tactic already bearing fruit. MPs Wakayima Muhammad Muwanga Kivumbi, after months of absence, recently resumed party activities, campaigning in the Kawempe North by-election and attending rallies for candidate Sharifa Nalukoola.
Luwerro Woman MP Brenda Nabukenya, once perceived as pro-Mpuuga, has also reconciled with the party leadership. She now joins incumbents earmarked to retain NUP’s flagbearership in 2026.
Meanwhile, pressure mounts on figures like Busiro East MP Medard Ssegona, a vocal Mpuuga ally, to seek forgiveness promptly. Should Ssegona delay, lawyer Kenneth Paul Kakande is poised to replace him as NUP’s Busiro East candidate.
Notably, MPs like Joan Namutawe have already defected back to Kyagulanyi’s camp, leaving Mpuuga increasingly isolated. Once a heavyweight, Mpuuga now navigates political limbo with little support, his public associations reduced to figures like fading musician Alien Skin.
As NUP tightens ranks, Kyagulanyi’s dual agenda—party unity and sidelining dissent—appears to be gaining momentum, setting the stage for a contentious run-up to 2026.
