Two Members of Parliament from Kyotera District—Fortune Rose Nantongo and John Paul Lukwago Mpalanyi—have crossed over from the Democratic Party to the National Unity Platform, citing what they described as a clearer political vision and disillusionment with their former party.
The announcement came during a NUP grassroots mobilisation meeting in Kyotera on Tuesday, attended by party leaders including Deputy Spokesperson Waiswa Mufumbiro, Masaka City Mayor Florence Namayanja, and Greater Masaka Coordinator Charles Kirumira.
The event was part of the party’s preparations for the 2026 general elections.
Both legislators criticised the Democratic Party for veering from its core mission and expressed concern over what they called a lack of leadership clarity under DP President Norbert Mao.
“We no longer understand the direction DP is taking,” said Mpalanyi. “NUP provides a clearer political vision that speaks to the needs and aspirations of the people we represent.”
While current laws bar MPs from officially changing party affiliation mid-term, Nantongo and Mpalanyi pledged to formalise their shift to NUP in May, when the window for such transitions opens.
Nantongo entered Parliament in 2021 following the death of her mother, Robinah Ssentongo Nakasirye, the former Kyotera Woman MP who succumbed to COVID-19 in 2020. DP endorsed Nantongo, who won the seat alongside Mpalanyi.
Their move to NUP reshapes the political landscape in Kyotera, especially with the re-emergence of Charles Kirumira, a former rival of Mpalanyi who contested for the same seat in the past.
With both men now in NUP, attention has turned to who will carry the party flag for Kyotera County in 2026.
“Only those who demonstrate capability and consistency should be trusted with the party flag,” said Mayor Namayanja.
Rose Nalubowa, a local NUP mobiliser, urged the party to remain focused, warning that internal divisions could cost them electoral ground.
Deputy Spokesperson Mufumbiro welcomed the defectors but cautioned them on discipline and protocol.
“Leadership must be respected,” he said. “We must remain focused and united if we are to win more ground in Kyotera.”
With elections looming, the political tide in Kyotera is shifting, setting the stage for potential showdowns, renewed rivalries, and power negotiations within the opposition stronghold.