KAMPALA .
The top leadership of the National Unity Platform (NUP) has extended an olive branch to suspended former vice president for Buganda Region Mathias Mpuuga and a host of rebel legislators to reconcile or get expelled from the party .
Addressing a mobilisation conference for party leaders from Central Region at NUP Headquarters in Kampala on Tuesday , NUP vice President for the Buganda Region, Muhammad Muwanga Kivumbi said several legislators who jointed Parliament on NUP ticket undermine party principles and if they don’t change in 30 days , the party will field other candidates against them in next year’s general elections.
“We are giving our dissenting legislators only 30 days to come to the party leadership so that we can sort out their leadership inconsistencies, before it is too late,” he said ,adding “We need to start preparations for next year’s elections early. This time we aim to secure over 100 parliamentary seats.”
Apart from Mpuuga , other legislators giving NUP headache include; Dr Abed Bwanika (Kimananya-Kabonera ), Twaha Kagabo (Bukoto South) , Jimmy Lwanga (Lugazi Municipality) , Joyce Bagala (Mityana Woman MP) , Bashir Kazibwe (Kawempe South), Michael Kakembo (Entebbe Municipality) ,Juliet Nakabuye Kakande (Masaka City Woman MP) and Veronica Nanyondo( Bukomansimbi Woman MP) .
Unlike other MPs , Mpuuga, also a commissioner of Parliament is accused by NUP of corruption .
The dispute arose from a service award of Shs1.7billion from Parliament which he and other three backbench commissioners from the ruling National Resistance Movement (NRM) awarded themselves in May 2022 .
Mr Mpuuga who was at the time Leader of Opposition in Parliament received Shs500m while the other commissioners –Prossy Mbabazi Akampulira( Rubanda District Woman MP) ,Esther Afoyochan(Zombo District Woman MP) and Solomon Silwanyi (Bukooli Central MP) bagged Shs400m each .
The NUP leadership CO continue to describe the service ward as corruption and abuse of office and asked Mr Mpuuga to step down as commissioner and also apologise to Ugandans for alleged corruption and betraying his party members .
Mr Mpuuga has roundly rejected the call to resign, arguing that he deserved the one-off award and that it was not criminal in any way.
Speaking at the same conference , NUP party President Robert Kyagulanyi said this time round , they will only need candidates who are “checked, trusted, tested, and reliable,”
“We shall not allow leadership that disrespects the people’s core values. This time, we are going for a protest vote to defeat the National Resistance Movement (NRM) at every level from presidential to local council.” He said
NUP is among the youngest political parts in Uganda ,but in the 2021 general elections which it first participated in , the party managed to win a total of 55 parliamentary seats and many positions in lower councils at sub counties and districts .
Its presidential candidate Robert Kyagulanyi also defeated incumbent Yoweri Museveni in Central Uganda –something that had never happened during Museveni’s nearly four decade rule .