Nyendo-Mukungwe MP Mathias Mpuuga has delivered a no -so subtle warning to his own National Unity Platform (NUP) party in what can only be described as a political pot-stirrer, suggesting they’ll be facing the music come the 2026 elections, all thanks to a recent visit by their party president, Robert Kyagulanyi aka Bobi Wine, to Masaka City.
During a morning talk show on a local television station in Kampala, Mpuuga didn’t hold back, insinuating that Kyagulanyi’s jaunt to Masaka on May 31 wasn’t exactly about rallying the masses to the NUP cause.
“I know Masaka like the back of my hand. That’s why the folks there weren’t exactly rolling out the welcome mats. The whole Masaka affair wasn’t about firing up the base; it was more about damping their spirits. And mark my words, the party’s gonna feel the burn,” Mpuuga declared.
Masaka City, a stronghold for NUP, has turned into a political battleground of sorts, shining a spotlight on the uphill battle Kyagulanyi faces in keeping his troops in line ahead of the 2026 polls.
Insiders and armchair analysts alike are having a field day dissecting Kyagulanyi’s visit, interpreting it as a flex of political muscle, especially given the simmering tensions and shifting alliances in the greater Masaka region.
The crux of the matter lies in NUP’s ability to keep its house in order, particularly in the face of recent rifts within the party’s ranks, barely a year after its inception in July 2020.
The public sparring match between Kyagulanyi and local heavyweights like Mpuuga and Abed Bwanika (Kimaanya-Kabonera Division MP) has brewed a storm that threatens to weaken the party’s grip on power and influence in the area.
With clashes erupting between their respective supporters, the rift is widening, casting doubt on internal cohesion and the party’s effectiveness in mobilizing voters.
Thus, Kyagulanyi’s whirlwind visit to Masaka was seen by many as a bid to reassert his authority and shore up support within NUP, though it seems some members might need more convincing than others.
