KAMPALA — The National Unity Platform (NUP) on Wednesday welcomed seven Members of Parliament who officially defected from other political parties in a ceremony held at its headquarters in Makerere Kavule, Kampala.
The high-profile event, attended by party leaders from across the country, underscored NUP’s growing political momentum as it strengthens its position ahead of the 2026 general elections.
Among the MPs who crossed to NUP are Dr Timothy Batuwa (Jinja South West) and David Isabirye Aga (Jinja North), both formerly with the Forum for Democratic Change (FDC).
Fortunate Nantongo, the Woman MP for Kyotera District; John Paul Mpalanyi of Kyotera County, and Lutamaguzi Ssemakula, MP for Nakaseke South, all of whom were elected on the Democratic Party (DP) ticket, also signed up for the red berets.
They were joined by John Paul Mpalanyi (Kyotera County), also formerly with DP, Joan Namutaawe, Joan Namutaawe, Woman MP for Masaka District, and Patrick Nsanja of Ntenjeru South, who had been serving as Independent.
The party also welcomed new entrants such as former NBS Amassengejje anchor Zambali Bulaiso, who quit the media to contest in Nansana Municipality.
The event also attracted dozens of local leaders at the sub-county and municipal levels, who publicly declared their allegiance to NUP.
Security was tight around the NUP headquarters with personnel from various agencies surrounding the offices throughout the day.
Party officials said the heavy deployment was intended to prevent any disruptions, but it also signalled the state’s ongoing scrutiny of NUP activities.
Formed in 2004 as the National Unity, Reconciliation and Development Party (NURP), the party was relatively unknown until July 2020, Robert Kyagulanyi—popularly known as Bobi Wine, brought his People Power movement into the game.
A pop musician-turned-politician, Kyagulanyi rebranded the party as the National Unity Platform and transformed it into a major political force in the run-up to the 2021 elections.
Under his leadership, NUP rapidly gained popularity, particularly among young voters and urban constituencies disillusioned with the long rule of President Museveni.
In the 2021 general elections, NUP won 56 parliamentary seats, displacing the Forum for Democratic Change as the country’s largest opposition party.
The party’s message of change, social justice, and democratic reform resonated widely, especially in central Uganda.
Since then, NUP has continued to build its support base, drawing members from other opposition parties and independent ranks.
The latest defections reflect ongoing realignments within Uganda’s opposition space, with some MPs citing frustrations over internal wrangles or lack of direction in their former parties.
Wednesday’s ceremony also served as a platform for NUP leaders to reiterate their demand for the release of political prisoners.
The party maintains that several of its supporters remain in detention across the country, a claim that has become a rallying point for its campaigns.