No love lost as NUP set out to unseat Ssemujju

Since its inception in 2020, the National Unity Platform (NUP) has turned introduction ceremonies (customary marriage) in its Buganda cradle into spaces used to spread its gospel of change. 

Whilst historically an introduction in Buganda has always been an apolitical ceremony for a few years, it has become normalised to see the portrait of Robert Kyagulanyi Ssentamu, alias Bobi Wine, presented among the gifts to be given to the prospective bride’s family. Furthermore, it is now commonplace for introduction participants to sport NUP’s red berets. 

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 This reinvention of the introduction ceremony didn’t sit well with the Katikkiro (prime minister) of Buganda Kingdom, Mr Charles Peter Mayiga, who many NUP apologists claim has never liked the party. Without mentioning names in early August, Katikkiro Mayiga moved to upend the practice of taking what he termed as “prominent politicians” to Ganda in-laws during the introduction ceremony. 

“When we are going to our in-laws [introduction ceremony] we don’t take portraits of politicians. Now if you are a staunch Catholic, would you take the portrait of the Pope?” the Katikkiro asked. “If you belong to FDC [Forum for Democratic Change] you take that of [Patrick Oboi] Amuriat? Or you take that of Erias Lukwago?” 

The Katikkiro guided that such portraits can’t be included in cultural functions and Baganda should know when to do exactly what.

“This is a cultural function. It is about customs so why do you bring a portrait of the politician? When we visit our in-laws, we go with gifts that are in line with our customs including modern gifts: the Kabaka’s portrait, that of the Nnaabagereka, the map of the Buganda Kingdom, that of the totem, even [Buganda Kingdom] certificate,” he said.

 Traditionally, when the Katikkiro gives a directive or guidance, it is taken that he is conveying a message from the Kabaka. NUP diehards have, however, defied this specific order, insisting they want to hear directly from the Kabaka. They have gone on to share pictures from introduction ceremonies graced by NUP politicians such as Mityana Municipality lawmaker Francis Zaake where Bobi Wine portraits are given away. This has prompted pushback from people aligned with the Mengo establishment. 

“To all NUPists [who are] bitter for calling them out, I will repeat: Portraits of Bobi Wine or any other musician, or politician are not [to be taken] to Kwanjula [or introduction] ceremonies. Only portraits of the Kabaka and Nnaabagereka are taken. Kwanjula is a cultural function, not a concert or political rally,” Denis Juuko, a media advisor to the Katikkiro, said. 

Friends no more?

The status quo can be described as something of a twist. When the ruling National Resistance Movement (NRM) was obliterated in Buganda during the 2021 General Elections, President Museveni blamed it on Mengo. 

“In some of the voting, the pattern which we saw, very interesting, you can see some of that. Instead of people looking to solve the social economic issues of the people, they now bring back sectarianism. Like you saw the voting, for instance, in Buganda,” President Museveni said in his national address in 2021.

 NUP has made clear that it doesn’t intend to loosen its grip on Buganda. Just this past week, it emerged that the party will field its lawyer, George Musisi, against Ibrahim Ssemujju Nganda in the 2026 Kira Municipality parliamentary race. It had previously all but appeared that Mr Musisi was going to come up against incumbent Betty Nambooze for the NUP ticket in the Mukono Municipality parliamentary race. 

 Ms Nambooze’s close links with Mathias Mpuuga had initially put her in harm’s way. But when she decided to abandon her Ssubi 2011 ally during the debacle over the Shs500m service award, the Kavule leadership warmed up to her.

In the people’s corner?

Last week, a fragment from a teargas canister left Bobi Wine injured after he had come from Mr Musisi’s “thanksgiving ceremony”. 

“Our president was in Kira to honour our lawyer who has been defending our people who are in prison,” Mr Joel Ssenyonyi, NUP’s spokesperson, explained about Mr Kyagulanyi's visit.

 A NUP strategist told Saturday Monitor that Mr Musisi has over the past few years built a profile that the party feels is sufficient to uproot Mr Ssemujju who is in his third term as a lawmaker. Observers say Mr Ssemujju presents a tricky challenge if anything because he is the poster boy for the Opposition in Parliament. The manner in which he holds powerful figures accountable has endeared him to many, not least his constituents. 

 Last year, Mr Ssemujju opened a can of worms when he came out to shed light on the taxpayer losing Shs2.9 billion each month to businessman Sudhir Ruparelia for renting his premises. 

“The Ministry of Justice gives Sudhir Shs450m in rent. The Ministry of ICT gives Sudhir Shs320m. The Ministry of Gender at Simbamanyo pays Sudhir Shs250m. The Anti-Corruption Court in Kololo gives Sudhir Shs180m per month. The Ministry of East African Affairs pays Sudhir Shs280m to Kingdom Kampala,” he reeled off a list, adding, “The Equal Opportunities Commission pays Sudhir Shs80m in the Kingdom. Ministry of Internal Affairs pays another Shs60m because of another smaller department. Parliament of Uganda pays Shs860m to Sudhir every month. Presidential advisers who sit in the Kingdom, every month the state has to pay Shs66m. Uganda Revenue Authority pays Sudhir Shs300m for a warehouse on Kampala Road. The Electoral Commission pays Shs30m to Sudhir for a warehouse in Ntinda. This means every month the government pays Sudhir Shs2.9 billion. Which translates into Shs97 million per day and Shs4 million per hour and Shs600,000 per minute.”

Mr Ssemujju wondered how Sudhir kept on getting these opportunities. “Mr Museveni needs to tell how Sudhir keeps on getting these opportunities. The same Sudhir who took over land formerly of CMI [Chieftaincy of Military intelligence]. He is about to finish a building there and then you will see government departments running there. The same Sudhir took over land for Kitante school near Kampala school: He is constructing and you will see the government running there. It is Sudhir or Mr Museveni and his agents hiding under Sudhir.” 

It was Mr Ssemujju who also authored a dossier which exposed the expenditure of the presidency and the State House. In the dossiers, it was indicated that presidential advisers earn wide-ranging salaries. For instance, President Museveni’s brother, Caleb Akandwanaho, alias Salim Saleh, earns Shs17m, while Dr Ruhakana Rugunda receives Shs20m. For this fiscal year, Uganda is slated to spend Shs25.3 billion on salaries and wages and an additional Shs5.4 billion on staff training within the President’s Office alone. Special presidential assistants, such as singer Catharine Kusasira, are also beneficiaries, earning up to Shs2.5m per month. 

Superfluous 

The government further incurs costs on vehicles, drivers, escorts, fuel, rent, and other recurrent expenditures for the RDCs and some presidential advisors. The Office of the President operates an astonishing fleet of 400 vehicles, each ranging in cost from Shs50m to Shs200m. Mr Ssemujju advocated for a thorough re-evaluation of this spending, especially given the country’s precarious financial standing and increasing national debt.

Aside from the 400 vehicles maintained by the Office of the President, State House, the president’s official residence boasts an additional fleet of 266 vehicles. Notably, 71 of these are dedicated solely to President Museveni’s convoy for domestic travel. While the State House policy statement provides a cost range for these vehicles—between Shs150 billion and Shs500m—the actual costs of the president’s vehicles remain undisclosed. 

“In a matter of a few years, the vehicular assets of the State House have seen a significant increase. According to the Ministerial Policy Statement for the Presidency for the fiscal year 2018/19, the tally stood at 195 vehicles. By 2021/22, this number had escalated to 266. Furthermore, vehicles designated for the presidential convoy grew from 33 in 2018/19 to 68 in 2021/22,” noted Ssemujju adding that annual expenses on vehicle maintenance were Shs7.2 billion in 2018, while fuel costs—subsumed under inland travel expenses—totalled Shs80 billion each year.

Once bitten, twice shy

Critics allege that Mr Ssemujju forced NUP to go after him after he refused to support a move to censure Mr Mpuuga and other backbench parliamentary commissioners for sharing a Shs1.7 billion service award.

“Many of the MPs here don’t read these documents. They just pass on things they don’t understand. That’s why I just can’t sign the censure motion; passing that money was an indictment on the entire Parliament. Unless the entire Parliament resigns and we go home,” Mr Ssemujju said of his decision not to support the motion. 

 Though Mr Ssemujju is the Finance minister in a shadow cabinet that NUP formulated on account of being the biggest Opposition party, his relationship with the party has been getting worse with each passing day. When the Kira Municipality lawmaker held that Bobi Wine should have consulted other political parties when choosing the Leader of Opposition in Parliament, the advice was met with vitriol from the Kavule leadership. 

“Where does Ssemujju get the audacity?" Waiswa Mufumbiro, the NUP deputy spokesperson, asked, adding that they couldn’t consult a party like FDC, which is on the verge of dissolving over money scandals. 

 Though Ssemujju was among the first FDC leaders to raise a red flag over the money the FDC leadership under Mr Amuriat and Mr Nathan Nandala Mafabi allegedly got from the State House to finance the 2021 elections, Mr Mufumbiro claimed that Mr Ssemujju was a “witness to the money exchange” between the party leadership and President Museveni. 

 This wasn’t the first time NUP is going for Mr Ssemujju. In 2021, they presented Mr Jimmy Lukwago, alias Kira Young, as Mr Ssemujju’s opponent in the parliamentary race. But Mr Ssemujju, who—like many in the Opposition ranks—didn’t support Bobi Wine’s presidential bid, went ahead to trounce Mr Lukwago, losing only one polling station in the entire constituency. NUP will be hoping Mr Musisi puts up a better showing.