The President of the Common Man’s Party (CMP), Mubarak Munyagwa, popularly known as ‘Mugati gwa butter’, has vowed to shake up Uganda’s political landscape with a fresh and daring approach to leadership if elected president in 2026.
Speaking during NBS Eagle on Sunday, Munyagwa declared that the CMP would surprise many, likening his party to a submarine whose true size and power remain hidden beneath the surface.
“Common Man’s Party is like a submarine. When a submarine moves, you only see the small periscope above the water, yet it is huge inside. Common Man’s Party will surprise many people,” he said.
Munyagwa, who was officially nominated on Tuesday to contest for the highest office in the land, firmly stated that he would recognize Museveni as President only until the end of his sixth term on May 20, 2026. He, in turn, expects Museveni to do the same once he takes office with more than 51% of the vote.
The former Kawempe South Member of Parliament credited four time presidential candidate Kizza Besigye noting that he had been adequately prepared for the challenge ahead, after being warned of the craftiness of President Museveni and his government
“My political mentor and father of this struggle, Dr. Kizza Besigye, advised me that President Museveni is a very clever man and you have to deal with him with many tricks,” Munyagwa said.
He further pledged to release Besigye who has been in detention for nearly a year, within 24 hours of assuming power.
At the heart of his campaign, Munyagwa has outlined a series of sweeping policy proposals. He has pledged to remove Swahili as Uganda’s national language and replace it with French, arguing that French will better position Uganda in global and regional integration, citing opportunities in Central Africa. He has also promised to nationalize the health and education sectors to ensure equitable access for all citizens.
In addition to that, Munyagwa has vowed to revisit the East African Community Protocol, citing what he describes as inequalities in regional trade that disadvantage Ugandans, particularly from Kenya and Tanzania.
His party’s emblem is a silver plate, locally known as Lusanyiya, a large serving dish traditionally used in Ugandan households to bring families and friends together around a meal, often pilau and meat. According to Munyagwa, the Lusanyiya represents unity and inclusiveness, as well as opposition against greed and corruption, principles that the CMP intends to embed in the governance of the country.
The Common Man’s Party was officially launched in July after Munyagwa broke off from the Forum for Democratic Change (FDC), citing mismanagement. He also dismissed the possibility of joining the National Unity Platform (NUP), which he criticized as “poorly managed” and excessively influenced by personal interests of its leadership.