Mpuuga’s Unity Plea: A Desperate Bid to Rally Uganda’s Fractured Opposition Ahead of Tense 2026 Polls

KAMPALA, Uganda – As Uganda barrels toward its January 2026 general elections, Democratic Front (DF) party president Mathias Mpuuga issued a fervent call for opposition unity in a televised speech on December 26, 2025. Speaking at a formal event captured in a video clip shared by NBS Television, Mpuuga urged leaders to transcend personal and political rifts for the sake of national interest. “We must put the country first,” he emphasized, highlighting the mounting pressure as President Yoweri Museveni’s National Resistance Movement (NRM) seeks to extend his nearly four-decade rule into a seventh term.

The two-minute address, delivered amid colorful backdrops and on-screen graphics warning of escalating pre-election tensions, comes at a critical juncture. Mpuuga, who founded the DF in May 2025 following a bitter fallout with Bobi Wine’s National Unity Platform (NUP) over alleged financial impropriety, positioned himself as a bridge-builder. His past includes a controversial 500 million shilling “service award” as parliamentary commissioner, which sparked accusations of self-interest and led to his suspension from NUP.

Online reactions to the NBS post reflected deep skepticism, with commenters labeling him a “thief” and questioning his motives, one quipping, “Unite with cannibals and they eat our children.”

This plea echoes broader opposition struggles in Uganda, where reports detail government intimidation, arbitrary arrests, and violence against dissenters. The Electoral Commission has urged voters to “vote and go home” to avoid clashes, amid debates over biometric verification kits that Mpuuga recently challenged for lacking legal backing. Opposition figures like Leader of Opposition Joel Ssenyonyi advocate peaceful yet bold participation, while Museveni, 81, campaigns on stability despite economic woes and youth unrest.

Mpuuga shelved his own presidential ambitions in October, opting to contest his Nyendo-Mukungwe parliamentary seat, signaling a strategic retreat amid fragmented alliances. Analysts warn that without cohesion, the opposition risks another Museveni landslide, as in 2021’s disputed vote. As polling day nears, Mpuuga’s words test whether unity can overcome division—or if personal scandals will further erode trust in the fight for change.