Exclusive: Here are the 12 reasons why NUP is falling apart

Will NUP still be in existence by 2026? Is the multi-million-dollar question in context with the contemporary political arena?

Once indomitable a force and fast-growing mass party that garnered incredible support across the country in a very short period, unbelievably uplifted spirits for majority of Ugandans and portrayed potential of new leadership to dislodge the 36-year rule of NRM led Gen Museveni is now seen dissipating into thin air every day that goes by.

within NUP such as NEC, Flag bearers fora are not empowered enough and currently there is no deliberate effort in constituting a substantive delegates conference through structure building.

Indiscipline

Surprisingly one of the core values of NUP is discipline. However, one can count the number of times the disciplinary committee has sat to instill discipline into the different party stakeholders. Party members and bloggers abuse people online left and right for having opinions that differ from theirs and this goes unaddressed about by the party leaders.

The vice of indiscipline has sent off many potential prospective contributors and members who would wish to identify with and join NUP. There are also concerns whether NUP actually has a disciplinary committee. If yes, how many cases of indiscipline have been handled in NUP? Because the rate of dilapidating discipline is alarming

Also, Alex Bahengana, an NUP diehard was recently beaten by another NUP supporter, Ms Sauda Madada while being accused of being a descendant of a tribe in Western Uganda. We as an amicable settlement was made by the party leadership, there remained a gap for resolution on tribal sentiments that do happen within the party.

Random communication within the party

Unguided online communications not representative of the party are always made by bloggers who associate themselves with NUP. However, the NUP leaders still remains silent on disciplining and confronting bloggers.

Furthermore, the so-called foot soldiers and self-appointed, bloggers, generals in NUP have severally held live recordings engaging the public on different party activities and positions.

There has also been little done by the party leaders to set an agenda for the different participants in the party to talk about. This has resulted into idle talk and bitterness from the supporters of NUP who merely jump onto anything to attack without digging into the gist of the matter.

This has tainted the image of NUP that they are referred too as hooligans with no agenda. For example, because members of parliament are not guided on the party position, every MP will speak what they deem fit.

The recent example is that of Hon. Abed Bwanika Who during an interview with media, without seeking the party position proposed that the party needed to negotiate with President Museveni to have party members and supporters who are apparently languishing in detention centers and prisons all over the country released.

This proposal has created a lot of controversy within NUP and has just unmasked the aspect of disorganization in the NUP camp questioning how sensitive issues are handled.

Reckless statements from Party leaders

while political prisoners are there languishing in different detention centers throughout the country.

Meanwhile the so-called foot soldiers are also in a dire financial state as they are very jobless and are always asking for money from these members of parliament. They are actually very susceptible to the NRM hungry lions that have all the money.

Infiltration of NUP camp by NRM

NRM knows what it means to retain power at all cost. In fact, in the recent interview with NBS TV, Hon Robert Kyagulanyi agreed that NUP has been infiltrated by NRM moles.

These moles are spies and informants for the state on any move that the party has to make. Recently a team of councilors from NUP met with president Museveni. It will also be recalled that last year during the election of local government speakers, NUP councilors who were the majority in their councils always voted for NRM speakers, leaving their very own.

The recent appointment of several NUP leaders as RDC’s in the most recent reshuffle portrayed the institution as highly infiltrated by informers for the ruling National Resistence Movement and other opposition parties.

Indeed, the President of opposition democratic party – DP, Norbert Mao, has severally declared the party as a branch of the NRM.

Protests and demonstrations

The recent protests by KCCA councilors that left a number of them arrested questions the real intention of these protests. Is it for political showoff or intended on helping evictees? Why is it that the councilors don’t engage at such a stage when the discussion on evicting vendors has been initiated or ongoing? Where was their role in blocking the processes that would lead to evicting of vendors?

However, they protested when vendors were already evicted. To make matters worse, none of the people (Vendors) they were fighting for or protesting for joined them. It should also be noted that immediately after the 2021 general elections, Hon. Kyagulanyi alongside his newly elected Members of Parliament stormed Kampala city to demonstrate on grounds of vote rigging by President Kaguta Yoweri Museveni, however people it was normal business in the city as people failed to turn up for the protest.

Recommendations.

If NUP wants to progress and grow as a party, it should reconcile and have honest conversations with all pivotal persons that were once party members and officials, it should as well harmonize with current members who are displeased with the status quo. “One can’t build a house yet other parts are falling off”.

There is need to re-strategize on how to take up power now that the Kayunga debacle clearly showed how elections from now on are to be managed. NUP should learn to engage different Key party members into affairs of the party. A party is not run by a handful of individuals but through a collective effort of everyone.

The party leaders should not only interest themselves but to articulate of policy. This will also add the party a bonus as it will attract as many elites as possible. It should begin setting an agenda as opposed to being reactionary from activities made by other opposition parties and ruling party.

The party should devise mechanisms of giving accountability for resources that have given to it.