The newly appointed National Peasants Party (NPP) Secretary General, Dr. Bruce Muhangi Endebiika, has said the party will not engage in discussions with government over the proposed Consociational Democracy Agreement until all political prisoners are released.
Muhangi, who takes over from suspended Secretary General Sharif Nambale Ssentongo, said the party wants government to first address concerns surrounding the continued detention of opposition supporters and other individuals he described as political prisoners.
Speaking after his appointment, Muhangi named several individuals, including the Dr. Col. Kiiza Besigye, former lord mayor, Erias Lukwago, NUP deputy spokesperson Alex Waisswa Mufumbiro among those he wants released, arguing that political engagement cannot proceed while people remain incarcerated on what the party considers political grounds.
“Secondly, we cannot go into discussions with government when all political prisoners, including the Kiiza Besigye, including Counsel Lukwago, the Mufumbiros, including other members who were prosecuted and imprisoned on political grounds, are still in prison,” Muhangi said.
He added that the party had tasked government with ensuring the release of all political prisoners before any discussions could take place.
“Then we can discuss with government as our stand as National Peasants Party. But if political prisoners are still in prison, if human rights are not yet protected, then we shall not discuss with government,” he said.
Muhangi’s remarks come amid discussions surrounding the proposed Consociational Democracy Agreement, a framework developed from a working paper by Professor Ogenga Otunnu and General Caleb Akandwanaho, also known as Salim Saleh.
The 135-page document, titled Consociational Democracy Agreement: Addressing the Root Causes and Consequences of Sectarianism, Exclusion, Marginalization and Conflicts in Uganda, proposes a broader approach to political cooperation, national inclusion and addressing historical and contemporary grievances.
It advocates cooperation between government and political parties, alongside grassroots participation, transparency and accountability, rather than restricting negotiations to political elites.
However, the National Peasants Party, through Muhangi, is making the release of political prisoners and protection of human rights a priority before it can consider participating in the proposed engagement.
His appointment follows the suspension of Ssentongo on October 22, 2026, by the party’s National Consultative Council Chairperson, Elias Wamala.
In the suspension letter, Wamala cited alleged misconduct, mismanagement of party affairs, failure to account for party resources and conduct that allegedly caused divisions among members.
Ssentongo was also accused of failing to deliver voters’ registers obtained from the Electoral Commission ahead of the January 2026 presidential elections, locking party offices and initiating political collaborations without approval from the party leadership.
The letter further accused him of using abusive language towards fellow members and failing to appear before a disciplinary committee sitting on October 14 to respond to the allegations.
He was subsequently suspended with immediate effect pending investigations and directed to hand over all party documents, office property and equipment.
The disciplinary committee is expected to present its findings and recommendations to the relevant party organs for further action.
Muhangi now assumes the party’s top administrative position as NPP positions itself on the proposed national political cooperation process, with the release of detainees and protection of human rights emerging as key conditions in its approach to government.
