The Busiro East Member of Parliament, Medard Lubega Sseggona, has stated that the National Unity Platform (NUP) leadership aimed to exclude certain senior members prior to the incident involving the former Leader of the Opposition in Parliament, Mathias Mpuuga.
"Long before the Mpuuga situation, there were whispers that they aimed to remove us," Sseggona stated, indicating that the conflict regarding Mpuuga's Shs500 million "service reward" in March 2024 merely revealed underlying tensions that had been building for several months.
The Mpuuga story, which began two months following his removal as Leader of Opposition in January 2024, signified the beginning of public conflict between the NUP leadership and certain high-ranking members.
Mpuuga denied claims of corruption and extortion, as the party's senior leadership called for his resignation from the position of parliamentary commissioner.
Sseggona and Mpuuga both have their political origins in the Democratic Party (DP), where they were previously regarded as staunch supporters under the Uganda Young Democrats label.
However, following years of internal conflicts and power struggles within DP, they switched allegiance to the People Power movement headed by Robert Kyagulanyi, which eventually became the NUP.
On Tuesday night, during an appearance on the NBS Barometer program, Sseggona refuted claims that his recent roles in Parliament are driven by personal interests, emphasizing that his efforts are aligned with the party's goals and the needs of his voters.
"I don't have any personal initiative within the Parliament of Uganda. I am consistently assigned by different stakeholders, the party, and the people of Busiro. Now that the party has taken its decision, I will discuss with the people of Busiro," he stated.
Timeline of the Fallout
- January 9, 2024 - Mathias Mpuuga is removed as Leader of Opposition in Parliament following two and a half years in that position. March 6, 2024 - NUP accuses Mpuuga of corruption concerning a Shs500 million "service award" and calls for his resignation as parliamentary commissioner. Mpuuga denies the claims, calling them extortion. Mid-2024 - Rising internal conflicts occur as senior members like Medard Sseggona voice dissatisfaction with party decisions and feel ignored. September 29, 2025 - Sseggona, along with other allies of Mpuuga such as Joyce Bagala, loses the Busiro East parliamentary seat to singer Mathias Walukaga.
- October 1, 2025 - Sseggona openly states that the NUP leadership aimed to remove senior members prior to the Mpuuga incident.
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He also disputed assertions that party leaders had engaged with the base prior to making significant decisions.
"When you mention that you consulted people on the ground, you must provide proof. Who did you speak to? Are they a member of the party? Where does this individual reside?" Sseggona asked, expressing skepticism about the validity of these procedures.
His comments highlight the increasing tensions within NUP, Uganda's leading opposition party, which experienced a swift ascent in 2020 due to splits from conventional opposition groups and the momentum of the People Power movement.
However, the tension with Mpuuga and Sseggona's recent public comments highlight how weak the party's internal unity still is as upcoming elections approach.
For the time being, the Busiro East representative states that his political actions will be based on discussions with his voters, keeping uncertainty regarding whether he will continue as a key player in NUP or take a different route.
Copyright 2025 Nile Post. All rights reserved. Distributed by AllAfrica Global Media (MountainTravel)
Tagged: Uganda, Governance, East Africa
Provided by SyndiGate Media Inc. (Syndigate.info).
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