Opposition National Unity Platform (NUP) councilors in Kampala district have strongly denied accusations of participating in a leadership training allegedly organized by the ruling National Resistance Movement (NRM) in Garuga. Representatives from Kawempe, Makindye, Nakawa, Rubaga, and Central divisions convened at the party headquarters for a press briefing to address and clarify the purported meeting.
In recent days, social media has been abuzz with lists claiming that certain NUP councilors secretly planned to meet with President Museveni to discuss defection to the NRM. However, councilors vehemently refuted these claims, asserting their unwavering dedication to the opposition’s goal of ousting the current regime.
Fred Nyanzi, NUP’s Head of Mobilization, condemned the circulating propaganda as an attempt to undermine their party. Despite NRM’s history of trying to destabilize young opposition groups, Nyanzi stated that such efforts had failed to weaken NUP.
While acknowledging the possibility of some NUP members clandestinely meeting with President Museveni, Nyanzi praised the councilors for publicly denying the allegations. He assured that NUP would stand firm against any attempts by the NRM to gain ground in Kampala.
It’s noteworthy that in the 2021 general elections, NUP secured 41 out of 44 seats for directly elected and female councilors in the Kampala Capital City Authority (KCCA). The distribution showed NUP’s dominance with 11 seats in Makindye, 9 in Nakawa, 10 in Lubaga, 3 in Kampala Central, and 8 in Kawempe Division.
This incident isn’t the first confrontation between NUP and the NRM regarding alleged engagements between NUP councilors and President Museveni. In 2022, NUP councilors in Luwero district declined an invitation to a leadership training organized by Museveni at Garuga Resort Beach Hotel in Entebbe, citing concerns over potential compromise.
Similarly, last year, NUP cautioned its local government leaders against participating in a transformational leadership course at the National Leadership Institute (NALI) in Kyankwanzi, which was closed by President Museveni. Emmanuel Sserunjogi, Chairman of the NUP Local Government Caucus, announced investigations into any party members who might have defied directives and attended the retreat.
