Mpuuga, Ssegona, Bwanika Lose Parliamentary Seats as NUP Tightens Grip
Former Leader of Opposition in Parliament and Democratic Front (DF) leader, Mathias Mpuuga, has lost his Nyendo-Mukungwe parliamentary seat in the 2026 general elections.
Mpuuga was defeated by National Unity Platform (NUP) flag bearer Lubowa Ssebina Gyaviira.
Mpuuga, who was elected in 2021 on the NUP ticket, fell out with the party leadership after he and three other parliamentary commissioners awarded themselves more than Shs1 billion as a “service award.” Mpuuga reportedly received Shs500 million, while the other commissioners received Shs400 million each.
NUP accused Mpuuga and the NRM commissioners of illegally allocating themselves taxpayers’ money and demanded that he refund the funds, apologize to Ugandans, and relinquish his position as a parliamentary commissioner—a post he had been appointed to by NUP president Robert Kyagulanyi Ssentamu, popularly known as Bobi Wine.
Mpuuga rejected the party’s demands, insisting he had done nothing wrong. This standoff deepened the rift between him and NUP, eventually leading to his exit from the party.
His allies, including Busiro East MP Medard Lubega Ssegona and Kimanya-Kabonera lawmaker Abed Bwanika—both of whom had also entered Parliament on the NUP ticket—openly clashed with the party leadership.
Ahead of the 2026 elections, Mpuuga formed the Democratic Front (DF), which Bwanika joined, while Ssegona sought to retain the NUP ticket but was denied.
All three have now lost their parliamentary seats to NUP-backed candidates.
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Gyaviira, who defeated Mpuuga, said the victory was hard-earned.
“We have faced many challenges to reach here. It took officials two days to declare us winners,” he said.
In Kimanya-Kabonera, Patrick Kuteesa of NUP defeated Bwanika, while in Busiro East, Ssegona lost to NUP-leaning independent candidate Emmanuel Magoola.
Kuteesa thanked voters for entrusting him with the mandate.
“I thank the people of Kimanya-Kabonera for voting me and NUP to represent them in Parliament,” he said.
Meanwhile, NUP’s Trace Nalubowa was declared winner of the Masaka City Woman MP seat, defeating NRM’s Justine Nameere.
In Kyotera District, Kakuuto MP Geoffrey Lutaaya accused security agencies of interfering with the electoral process, alleging that his victory had been stolen.
Lutaaya claimed he caught an Electoral Commission official ticking ballot papers in favour of his opponent and accused the Minister of State for Microfinance, Haruna Kyeyune Kasolo, of orchestrating the alleged manipulation.
Kasolo, who also serves as the NRM Vice Chairperson for Buganda, denied the accusations.
“I was not in Kakuuto. I was busy in Kyotera. I did not hold any meeting in Kakuuto,” Kasolo said.
Other candidates who emerged victorious in the greater Masaka sub-region include NUP’s Joan Namutaawe, who won the Masaka District Woman MP seat, Democratic Party’s Richard Ssebamala (Bukoto Central), and NRM’s Sarah Babirye Kityo (Bukoto East).
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