NUP councillor beaten for attending Mpuuga’s thanksgiving
By Our reporter
MUKONO – National Unity Platform supporters in Mukono Municipality have beaten a party councillor representing Ggulu Ward, Kitete in Mukono Central Division for attending a thanksgiving mass organised by Mr Mathias Mpuuga. Mr Mpuuga was suspended as NUP party vice president for Buganda Region in March 2024. He is the Nyendo-Mukungwe legislator and parliamentary commissioner.
Mr Fred Kiyimba was among the many people from Mukono who attended Mr Mpuuga’s thanksgiving Mass at Kitovu Sports Arena in Masaka City on June 21, but NUP supporters claim this was an act of betrayal to the struggle against corruption by accepting a Shs500 million service award. Other councillors who attended the event include Allan Mawanda (Speaker Mukono Central Division) and Joseph Bbomboka (councillor representing Lweza Ward).
The NUP supporters also vowed to beat up elected party leaders at all levels who secretly work with Mr Mpuuga because according to them the latter is no longer a member of the party.
Mr Mpuuga is in bad books with the leadership of his party-NUP due to allegations of corruption and abuse of office.
Mr Mpuuga has since rejected calls to resign from the current position of Parliamentary commissioner and insists he is still a NUP member.
Ms Sheilah Draville Amanio who joined NUP last month when she crossed from the National Resistance Movement (NRM) to NUP during Kyagulanyi’s tour in Mukono District, said the party has no room for hypocrites and that’s why she joined the struggle to oppose the injustices predetermined by her former party.
“The Shs 500 million could build a hospital, refurbish a government school somewhere or extend clean water to a poor community, but Mr Mpuuga decided to take it as pocket change on top of his hefty benefits. So, whoever decided to walk with Mr Mpuuga is an enemy to the party” Ms Amanio noted.
Mr Rogers Bazanya Tefiro, the deputy speaker of Mukono Municipality, explained that whoever went to Mpuuga’s thanksgiving will be dealt with accordingly.
“We have no room for traitors and whoever goes against the party principles and position on certain issues automatically becomes an enemy of the party,” he said.
On his part, Mr Kiyimba said those who beat him up are agents of self-seeking politicians who want to use the party structures to gain political capital.
“The people you’ve seen attacking me are the real enemies of the party. I am not moved by their bad behaviors because such acts have long been expected since many of them are moles paid to destabilize our party” he said.
NUP, Uganda’s youngest political party has in the past six months endured political upheavals, including alleged mudslinging and mistrust among some members, which has threatened its existence.
