NUP doesn’t show respect to their leaders, MP Twaha Kagabo claims

Bukoto South Member of Parliament, Dr. Twaha Kagabo has revealed that he decided to stop paying his subscription fee to the National Unity Platform (NUP) because of disrespect from party leaders which he said he could no longer bear.

NUP, the largest opposition in Parliament, is led by Robert Kyagulanyi alias Bobi Wine.

While appearing on NBS Eagle on Sunday, the controversial Member of Parliament claimed that the party leaders are so disrespectful to their leaders, expressing his deep love for Gen Muhoozi Kainerugaba.

“I decided to stop paying my subscription fee to the National Unity Platform because they do not show respect to their leaders. They told me to write a letter to the president, asking him to summon me to the party's disciplinary committee. As an individual, regardless of being a member of NUP, I prioritize my own actions,” he said.

Although Kagabo was elected to Parliament on a NUP ticket, he indicated that he doesn’t believe in some of the party ideologies.

“I am of sound mind. I cannot agree with you when you say NRM has done nothing in terms of health, education, and other matters. I am an objective person and I believe in certain ideologies of NUP,”he said, adding that he maintains the integrity of his decisions and remains conscious of his responsibilities because he was elected to Parliament by the people.

Kagabo also disagreed with the opposition leaders who always oppose government programmes, saying that the role of the opposition is to provide alternatives.

“The Constitution has never mandated a person to oppose the government. You cannot have a Constitution that provides resources such as cars, offices, and financing to the opposition for the sole purpose of opposing you,” he said.

Speaking to the Nile Post in a phone interview, Joel Ssenyonyi said as a party there are quite a number of things they are still dealing with at the moment therefore the issue of Kagabo making uncoordinated statements about the party will be handled later.

“We have the new constitution, so we will use it soon to deal with people like Twaha Kagabo. For now we don’t think that his (remarks) will occupy us as a party .There are many important things that we are dealing with .Once we are done dealing with those issues, then we shall deal with (his) issues as the law says,” he said.

Kagabo made headlines in 2022 when he carried Shs 40 million to the office of leader of opposition Mathias Mpuuga claiming that he had received the money from the Speaker of Parliament Anita Annet Among’s residence in Nakasero for unidentified activity.

Kagabo then said he was responding to the directive of Robert Kyagulanyi, the president of the National Unity Party (NUP) who had told party MPs who had received the money to return it.

Kagabo later apologized to the Speaker for tarnishing the image of August House for returning the alleged bribe of Shs 40 million.

Before coming out to claim that he is among the legislators who received the controversial Shs40m as a ‘reward’ for approving a Shs618b supplementary request, including Shs77b for State House last year, Kagabo, was an ordinary backbencher in the House.

He could attract little attention given the fact that he is not among the vocal legislators, but the Shs40m cash bonanza thrust the Bukoto South legislator into the limelight.

Kagabo was also the only NUP legislator that defied the resolution of the Shadow cabinet and decided to attend the parliamentary sitting at Kololo Ceremonial grounds where the President was addressing the House from in March this year.

He claimed that he decided to attend the special sitting because the opposition is no longer dependable and his focus now is to represent his people of Bukoto South in the House.