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The National Unity Platform (NUP) has set a bold target for the 2026 general elections, aiming to secure over 100 parliamentary seats from the Buganda region alone.
This ambitious goal was announced today, Tuesday at the party’s leadership retreat held at their headquarters in Kampala, where hundreds of party leaders and mobilisers from Central Uganda gathered to discuss the strategy moving forward.
The retreat came at a time when the party is gearing up to solidify its support base in Buganda, which has shown strong allegiance to NUP since the 2021 elections.
In the 2021 general elections, NUP made big gains in Central Uganda, particularly in Buganda, where it secured 57 seats in the 11th Parliament.
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The party's victory in Buganda saw it unseat several prominent figures from the ruling National Resistance Movement (NRM), including Vice President Edward Ssekandi.
At today’s event, Fred Nyanzi, NUP's National Mobiliser laid out the plan for 2026:
“In the Buganda region we have to get over 100 MPs in Parliament. We are not going to play around with matters of Buganda,” he said.
“President (Museveni) might think that he can still manipulate and sow division in this region, but we are different this time. We are alert.
“With our eyes set on the 100 MPs, your task as mobilisers involves you being part of this effort.”
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Unity, Integrity, and Focus on 2026
At the retreat, Fred Nyanzi urged party members to focus on unity and integrity.
He stressed the importance of backing official NUP candidates, warning against internal conflicts that could undermine the party’s efforts.
“Once someone gets the NUP ticket, we must all stand behind them. That is the only way we will succeed,” Nyanzi stated.
He also addressed allegations surrounding the sale of party tickets, reaffirming that NUP’s flagbearership is not for sale.
“A lot has been said, but let me make it clear: NUP tickets have never been sold. Our president, Bobi Wine, has repeatedly called for anyone with evidence to come forward, but none has been provided. We are a party that fights corruption, and we will not sell your tickets,” he emphasised.
Building a Stronger Opposition
Joel Ssenyonyi, the Leader of Opposition in Parliament, echoed Nyanzi’s sentiments, adding that NUP needs to increase its numbers in Parliament to effectively implement its policies.
“There are only 57 NUP MPs in Parliament, and that is not enough. We need more voices, especially from Buganda, to ensure that once our president is in power, we can pass the necessary laws and create meaningful change,” Ssenyonyi said.
David Lewis Rubongoya, the NUP Secretary General, also spoke about the importance of unity within the party.
“Internal squabbles can entrap us. We need to understand that if you are one of the nine people vying for the NUP flag, we cannot give it to all of you. There can only be one flagbearer, and if you do not get it, focus on the larger mission of taking NUP to power,” Rubongoya advised.