KAMPALA – A storm is brewing within the National Unity Platform (NUP) as aspiring candidates who failed to make the party’s final list for the 2026 general elections have expressed outrage, directing their fury at the party’s Electoral Committee.
The disgruntled members have vehemently criticized the selection criteria used by the committee, alleging that the process was flawed and biased. They claim that many of the individuals who were successfully nominated are secretly aligned with the ruling National Resistance Movement (NRM) and lack genuine support among constituents in their respective areas.
The aggrieved aspirants argue that the committee’s choices undermine the party’s grassroots foundation and reward disloyalty instead of merit and local popularity. They have issued a stern warning to the party leadership, threatening to defect to other political parties if their concerns are not addressed.
Their grievance is specifically aimed at the party president, Mr. Robert Kyagulanyi, popularly known as Bobi Wine. They have demanded that he personally intervenes and provides a clear and satisfactory explanation for the committee’s decisions.
“If the party president, Honourable Kyagulanyi, fails to explain this questionable selection process, we will have no choice but to seek nomination from other parties that value loyalty and grassroots support,” stated one furious former aspirant who wished to remain anonymous for fear of reprisals.
This internal rift threatens to cause significant defections and weaken the NUP’s structural integrity just as the country begins to gear up for the next electoral cycle. The party, which positions itself as the leading opposition force in Uganda, now faces a critical test of its internal democracy and conflict resolution mechanisms.
As of the time of publishing, the NUP Electoral Committee and the office of the party president had not yet issued an official public statement regarding the allegations.
