Voters Denounce NUP After Receiving Sh30,000

Opposition party members in Kisoro district have denounced the National Unity Platform (NUP) after being paid Sh30,000 to join the ruling National Resistance Movement (NRM). The payments were made on Sunday at Kisoro Municipality council hall by the senior presidential advisor on agriculture, Peace Rugambwa, who also chairs Bona Bageigahare.

Rugambwa met with over 300 members, giving each Sh30,000 and requesting them to withdraw support from NUP candidates, including presidential contender Robert Kyagulanyi, aka Bobi Wine. She accused NUP leaders of ignoring ordinary people’s needs while exploiting the public for personal gain and demanded that members surrender their party cards.

“I came not fully prepared for you, but I have informed the president that our people misled by Bobi Wine are back home,” Rugambwa said. “I am giving each of you Sh30,000, more than enough to support your household.”

NRM mobilisation team members, including Kisoro district coordinator and UNATU chairperson Alex Matata, said their participation was motivated by frustration with NUP and the hope of addressing local grievances, such as salary disparities between arts and science teachers.

However, some attendees voiced disappointment over unfulfilled government promises. Local musician and teacher Amos Mfitumukiza, aka Swigga Man, recalled a car promised by President Museveni in 2015 that was never delivered.

Other converts, like teacher Thursday Niwamanya, demanded that new members be given leadership positions and assurances of succession within the NRM. Meanwhile, NUP was labelled a tribal party by Rugambwa’s assistant, Santrina Kakyene, who claimed the party primarily represents Buganda interests.

NUP Kisoro district secretary-general Aggrey Kwizera dismissed the claims, describing the alleged defections as impostors and reaffirming that NUP is a national party. “The regime has raided our offices and even tried to forge party materials. But we remain undeterred—NUP is for all Ugandans, not a tribal outfit,” Kwizera said.