Supporters of Mukono Woman MP Hanifah Nabukeera on Thursday stormed the National Unity Platform (NUP) headquarters in Makerere Kavule, protesting the party’s decision to withdraw its flag from their candidate and hand it to a newcomer.
Nabukeera, who made history in 2021 as the first opposition MP to win the Mukono Woman seat, was initially cleared to contest again on the NUP ticket.
However, the party’s Electoral Commission later handed the flag to Sheilla Amanio Namugalu, a former member of the ruling National Resistance Movement (NRM), sparking outrage among Nabukeera’s supporters.
“We are shocked and angry. Hon. Nabukeera was duly given the flag after the vetting process. Now it has been snatched from her without any transparency,” said Joseph Kawombe, Kunga Chairperson for Nakifuma Constituency, while addressing journalists outside the party offices.
Over 500 supporters, including mobilizers, local councilors, and youth leaders from Mukono, signed a petition demanding that the NUP leadership overturn the decision.
The petition was formally handed to Alex Rovins Rwanyaga, a commissioner with the party’s Electoral Commission, who pledged to escalate it to Secretary General David Lewis Rubongoya for action.
“We have received the petition and it will be taken to the Secretary General’s office. The party has structures to handle such appeals,” Rwanyaga said.
The petitioners accuse sections of the NUP’s Mukono leadership of orchestrating Nabukeera’s removal for political reasons, naming Mukono Municipality MP and district party chairperson Betty Nambooze as a key player.
“There are four politicians in Mukono fighting Nabukeera, and they are being led by Hon. Nambooze,” said a supporter identified as Dibya.
“She refused to be controlled by them, and now they want to eliminate her from the political map.”
Nabukeera’s 2021 victory was instrumental in strengthening NUP’s grip in the Buganda region, and her removal has raised concerns about internal unity ahead of the 2026 general elections.
Kawombe questioned why a candidate who “built the party’s base from scratch” would be sidelined. “She built structures from the village to the district. She brought us victory in 2021. How can such a person be discarded? This is betrayal,” he said.
Supporters warned that they would withhold their support from any replacement if the party failed to reinstate Nabukeera.
“If they don’t return her flag, we shall not support any other candidate. We are ready to even vote independent,” one supporter said.
In response to the growing discontent, Secretary General David Lewis Rubongoya later met the aggrieved supporters and accepted their petition.
“We understand your concerns and appreciate your discipline in presenting them peacefully,” he said. “The matter will be reviewed by the Appeals Committee in line with the party constitution. No one is above accountability, including our processes.”
Attempts to reach Nambooze for comment were unsuccessful, as calls to her known phone numbers went unanswered.
