Higher On Lamentation, Lower On Action: NUP’s Reform Blockage Sparks 2026 Polls Concerns

The National Unity Platform (NUP), Uganda’s leading opposition party in Parliament, is facing intense criticism for its erratic decision to block a 2023 plan by former Leader of Opposition Mathias Mpuuga to introduce electoral reforms and constitutional amendments.

Mpuuga’s initiative aimed to address the long-standing issues that the opposition has always lamented, the ruling National Resistance Movement (NRM) party’s president Yoweri Museveni has “exploited to cheat elections”.

“The country needs reform to the Constitution and legislation that affirms and supports the independence of the electoral commission, protects against the disenfranchisement of Ugandans, protects the rights of opposition candidates, and ensures principles of transparency, equity, and accountability,” Mpuuga said during the 2-day retreat held in June 2023 at Common Wealth Speke Resort Munyonyo.

When he shot to the podium, the NUP President Robert Kyagulanyi alias Bobi Wine dismissed Mpuuga’s effort, saying the meeting was merely an expensive tea party for the opposition figures, and that they could not pass reforms with a “dictator” still in power.

Upon return from the retreat, Kyagulanyi directed the party secretariat to officially, disown the retreat, affirming it was not a party position.

On June 6, 2023, the NUP statement said, “…we also believe that despite their flaws, the current laws if implemented would guarantee fair play and sanity in elections. However, the criminal regime has always ignored them and carried out the worst forms of electoral fraud. Therefore, constitutional and electoral reforms cannot be the solution.”

A few months later, Kyagulanyi fired Mpuuga as Leader of the Opposition, replacing him with Nakawa West MP, Joel Ssenyonyi whom the country hoped, would be picking the electoral reforms’ programme considering the unfettered trust he enjoys from the party principal.

However, in July 2024, Wilfred Niwagaba, Shadow Attorney General, revealed that the new Leader of the Opposition blocked him from introducing electoral reforms, even after Mpuuga had long left the office.

“I had introduced that [Constitutional and Electoral Reforms] Bill, but the leadership of opposition [in parliament] stopped me, and I am constrained to follow what the Leader of Opposition says. I had brought reform proposals thinking that we would get time to fully dissect them. However, my bosses told me, to stop proposals. What would you want me to do?” Niwagaba said in July.

Shadow AG Niwagaba Exposes NUP, LoP Ssenyonyi ‘Hypocrisy’ On Electoral Reforms

Speaking to the radio in Kampala on September 17, 2024, Niwagaba affirmed that it’s now too late for the opposition to bring and pass through parliament electoral reforms aimed at achieving free, fair, and credible elections in 2026.

“It’s too late for the opposition to bring and pass reforms given our numbers,” Niwagaba said.

“The truth is that we were supposed to table the electoral reforms and constitutional amendments at the beginning of this term when we still had Mathias Mpuuga as our LoP, but he said that his party [NUP] had not blessed it. So, we kept quiet,” Niwagaba said, “what I know, it’s now too late.”

He asserted, “those interested, can still give it a try, but it is too late and we have fewer numbers [numerical strength] in parliament. Well, let us wait for what the government brings for us to improve, but it is too late for our [opposition side].”

NRM Strikes

The Minister of Justice and Constitutional Affairs Nobert Mao, recently announced that the government is finalizing electoral reforms and constitutional amendments ahead of 2026, including changing the presidential election system from adult suffrage to a parliamentary system.

NUP quickly criticized the proposals without offering alternatives, prompting some opposition figures to blame the party for attacking others without providing solutions.

Muhammad Kateregga, the Jeema Secretary General, blamed NUP for failing to lead the electoral reform process. “If we think we can change Government through the ballot, we need to work on reforms to make elections free and fair.”

“Our opposition leaders are the NUP, and they were the ones to lead us into bringing the electoral reforms in parliament to be debated and passed, but that’s how they chose to lead us,” Kateregga said, “another chance that is available which we are still pursuing is IPOD, only that it is crippled these days for some reasons that need to be addressed.”

He stressed, “I think, it would be very fundamental for us to go into 2026 elections with serious electoral reforms, unless NUP is not serious about changing the government.”

Yusuf Nsimbambi, FDC Chief Whip, expressed resignation, citing the Supreme Court’s unimplemented recommendations by the Government for improving elections.

“All the things that we speak about exist and are known. Supreme Court gave ten [10] recommendations of improving the elections, but nobody has ever implemented the ruling, and now the president is celebrating birthdays.”

He added, “basically, we have a very big temptation God gave us under the NRM Government, and now our hope rests in God to help us, and we shall surely rectify all the things that have been messed up by the wrong people, but we cannot do anything the way they want now.”

Former Leader of Opposition Mathias Mpuuga contended that going into elections without reforms is suicidal.

“It will be suicidal for the opposition to go to the next polls without meaningful electoral reforms,” Mpuuga said in 2023, “the opposition to go back to the election with the electoral constituted in the same way with wide-ranging powers to do what they do is an act of neglect by the opposition.”

He posed a question, “how do you prepare for another activity when the problems of the past have not been resolved? The opposition in and outside parliament must summon the best of their energy to find solutions to these issues and nobody should really introduce other issues till these issues are resolved.”

A political observer who spoke to us noted, “NUP’s actions suggest they are preserving the incumbent’s [Museveni] power while pretending to oppose him.”

Another observer added, “by blocking reforms, NUP is ensuring the status quo remains, benefiting the ruling party.”

The opposition’s inability to introduce electoral reforms, and Constitutional reforms for debate in parliament, has raised concerns about the 2026 elections’ credibility. With the government’s reforms imminent, the opposition must re-strategize to ensure free, fair, and credible elections.