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Mpuuga, Sseggona hold cards close to their chests

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Busiro East Member of Parliament Mr Medard Ssegona. PHOTO/ MICHAEL KAKUMIRIZI

Though Kyagulanyi insisted that he had won the election he had to make do with his nascent party leapfrogging the Forum Democratic Change ( FDC) as the biggest opposition party thus he had to choose the Leader of Opposition ( LOP). Both Sseggona and Mpuuga showed interest in the position of LOP but ultimately Kyagulanyi picked Mpuuga who was key to NUP’s sweeping victories in Buganda where he has been serving as the Party’s Deputy President. Sseggona had to make do with chairing the Public Accounts Committee and later Committee on Commissions, Statutory Authorities, and State Enterprises (COSASE) but with Mpuuga I soon emerged that he had friction with NUP leadership. Amid growing tensions that were publicly being downplayed at the end of 2023, Kyagulanyi dumped Mpuuga and tapped his friend Ssenyonyi as leader of the Opposition.

The divide

But caution was thrown to the wind once it emerged that Mpuuga, who had been appointed as Commissioner by Kyagulanyi, had got Shs 500 million termed as a “service award”. While many former Ssuubi members such as Mukono Municipality MP Betty Nambooze Bakireke and Muhammad Muwanga-Kivumbi, Butambala County, sided with Kyagulanyi - Sseggona blamed Kyagulanyi for coming out quickly to take a position.
"If you are a leader and you are the first to make such a statement, it's wrong because as a leader when you speak, nobody else is going to speak," Sseggona said referring to Kyagulanyi.
Sseggona wasn’t done in an act of defiance against the party, he attended Mpuuga’s Thanksgiving ceremony in Masaka City last year where he made a defiant speech. "I heard rumours that they were calling members, telling them they would be denied party cards if they attended Mpuuga’s Thanksgiving. I'm glad I wasn't called, and if it's true, then it's absurd. Friendships go beyond politics," he said adding "There were some people who said that this Thanksgiving wouldn't happen and that people would stone each other, but people are here seated peacefully. What you see here is the National Unity Platform, and this is what we believe in.” Sseggona, 49, would swear that he owes his loyalty to Mpuuga who, just like him, has been a permanent fixture in parliament since 2011.

Blood brothers

“When my wife was sick and I was expecting bad news: Mpuuga slept in the car with me. He said that he was in fear that if the bad news found me alone it would have left me in bad shape. Not even the devil can tempt me into separating with such a person- just because of untruthful words,” Sseggona said adding that back then he told Mpuuga if he would steal or if he would take the devil’s money he wouldn’t stand with him but since he hadn’t done that he was sticking him even if it means paying the ultimate price. Sseggona also refused to bow to the pressure that came from his constituents to sign a censure motion that was prepared by Lwemiyaga county MP Theodore Ssekikubo but it was mainly targeting Mpuuga. “ I am a wise and educated man. Those who are signing are just excited over nothing. They are just abusing Mpuuga for no reason. They were in Parliament when the budget [for service awards] was tabled. It is the same budget where [Moses] Kigongo, [Edward] Ssekandi, and [Rebecca] Kadaga were given money as former speakers," he said, adding “ When you talk, they shout at you. When you keep quiet, they say you were compromised. Who amongst us sleeps hungry?” Sseggona said.

Left to Right: Mathias Mpuuga, Katikkiro of the Buganda Charles Peter Mayiga and Medard Lubega Sseggona following a meeting at Bulange, Mengo, yesterday. Photo | Shabibah Nakirigya

Pick a side

With the latest declaration, Sseggona became the most prominent Ganda politician to declare support for Mpuuga’s movement. This could perhaps open doors for the rest who have so far been quiet. So far Mpuuga’s support has come from people who his critics have dismissed as political failures. They point out that Samuel Walter Lubega Mukaaku, one of the early backers of Mpuuga, first tried to be an MP in Kawempe North in 1996 when he lost to Jamada Luzida, father of musician Desire Luzinda.

Running on a DP ticket Makaaku would try his luck in 2006 but he lost the Busiro East race to FDC's Suzan Nakawuki. Then he gained prominence on the political scene during the 2011 elections when he stood for presidency as an independent but in a contest of eight, he came last with 32,726 votes. Five years later, Mukaaku decreased his ambitions and contested for the Mawokota South parliamentary seat but was fourth out of the five candidates when he garnered only 288 votes with National Resistance Movement’s ( NRM ) John Bosco Lubyaayi emerging as victor. Five years later, Mukaaku felt his dream of getting an elective position was going to be achieved having been one of the brainchildren of the People Power movement but he was disappointed when he was denied the Lubaga South ticket.

Mpuuga’s camp

NUP leaders instead gave the ticket to Aloysius Mukasa who emerged victor with 49,501 votes whilst Mukaaku who stood as an independent could only get a measly 719 votes. Another person in Mpuuga’s crusade who has been branded as a political failure is Mabikke. Mabikke started his political career with back-to-back victories in the Makindye East constituency both in 2001 and 2006.
However, he has since landed on hard times because in 2011 his effort to become the Lord Mayor of Kampala ended in defeat as it was taken by Erias Lukwago who was backed by opposition doyen Kizza Besigye. In 2016 he tried to reclaim his Makindye East position but in the race of nine, he came fifth having garnered only 911 votes with FDC’s Ibrahim Kasozi emerging victor with 19,132.

Mabikke wasn’t done; he tried once again to reclaim the seat in 2021 but he came fourth with 4,352 votes with NUP’s Derrick Nyeko, a political novice, taking the seat with 20,455 votes. The third person who is branded as a political failure is Abed Bwanika who is the current MP for Kimanya Kabonera.
Though is currently an MP Bwanika’s ambitions haven’t always been to be an MP rather he has always convinced himself that he is the rightful person to occupy the State House he first vied for the topmost job in the country in 2006 and he came fourth in the race of five candidates – garnering 65, 874 votes Standing on the ticket of People’s Development Party (PDP), a party he a singlehandedly ran, Bwanika tried his luck again in 2011 coming sixth in the presidential race that had attracted eight candidates – after garnering only51,78 votes. He gave the presidential seat another shot in the 2016 general elections coming fourth after polling 89, 005 votes again under his political party People’s Development Party, shortened as PDP.
Bwanika has since dumped his political party and joined NUP after he had hobnobbed with the DP bloc” but he has since also fallen with NUP. “I don’t care if I lose my political seat in parliament I will never be allowed to be ruled by homosexuals,” Bwanika said in a veiled attack on NUP that he accuses of being funded by Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, and Transgender ( LGBT) groups from the west.
With Sseggona coming out it remains to be seen if Mityana Woman representative Joyce Bagala who has also clearly fallen out with NUP leadership will come out to publicly endorse the Democratic Alliance.

Moving on

Though Bagala, a former journalist, hasn’t come out to openly support Mpuuga’s group, NUP leadership has already moved on to fronting actress Prossy Mukisa Nabbosa as her replacement come 2026. Attention will also be on Entebbe Municipality MP Michael Kakembo also known as Mbwatekemwa - who has also publicly had exchanges with NUP leadership.
If some are hesitating it seems Sseggona has already moved on stinging voters for voting NUP MPs just because they have been told to vote whoever has an umbrella as a symbol. “We told you to vote for the best, who would ably represent you. You instead voted for the one with the most money in the village. You voted for land grabbers: Who is to blame? Next time when people are voting, they should vote for people who understand what we do in parliament,” Sseggona said.