A faction of National Unity Platform (NUP) members in Masaka has criticized the party leadership for distributing membership cards during their mobilization tours, arguing that this strategy won’t achieve the desired outcomes.
This group, which supports Parliament Commissioner and Nyendo/Mukungwe County MP Mathias Mpuuga, contends that not all rally attendees are genuine NUP members deserving of party cards.
“This poorly conceived plan will result in disloyal members who can be easily bought,” said Joseph Kasirye, the NUP Masaka City registrar, during a weekend interview on behalf of the group.
Kasirye also noted that the mobilization tours, which the police have since suspended due to NUP’s reported failure to follow agreed guidelines, are unproductive.
“You can’t distribute party membership cards at rallies like snacks; they might end up with the wrong people who could later claim to defect to other parties. This practice should stop immediately. We should use party branches to recruit new members who can be tracked and verified,” Kasirye stressed.
On April 29, NUP president Robert Kyagulanyi, also known as Bobi Wine, initiated a campaign to register party members. This exercise is part of NUP’s broader effort to organize party structures from the grassroots to the top leadership.
Kasirye argued that the mobilization tours do not demonstrate the party’s strength in the areas where they have been held. He claimed that many attendees at these tours come from Kampala, which does not help in boosting the party’s support in rural areas.
“We observed the events at the Masaka Recreation Grounds on May 31, where the latest party mobilization tour took place, and found that many attendees were from Kampala. This practice of bringing people to venues is common in the NRM (National Resistance Movement) and, as the Opposition, we shouldn’t emulate it,” he said.
Mpuuga, the former Leader of the Opposition in Parliament, had previously described the Masaka mobilization tour as “a fanfare” and stated he would not attend the event.
Alice Nanungi, the representative for Nyendo Ward in the Masaka City Council, urged those who believe the ongoing party register update and mobilization tours should be handled differently to participate in the preparation meetings and share their views, rather than criticizing from the sidelines.
“Those colleagues chose to rebel against the party, and their comments about NUP indicate that they do not hold the true aspirations of our party,” she said.
Alex Waiswa Mufumbiro, the NUP deputy party spokesperson, stated that party members aligned with Mpuuga have no right to question any NUP program.
“A leader like him (Mpuuga) understands how the party operates, and that is exactly what we are doing. I don’t see any problem with that,” he added.
MPUUGA-NUP DISPUTE
Nyendo/Mukungwe County MP Mathias Mpuuga had a falling out with NUP’s top leadership over a controversial Shs500m “service award” he received as Parliament commissioner.
In March, NUP President Robert Kyagulanyi, also known as Bobi Wine, suspended Mpuuga as NUP vice president for the Buganda Region due to the “service award.”
