In a respectful address to Kyagulanyi Robert, the esteemed president of Uganda’s largest opposition party, the National Unity Platform (NUP),
I extend my greetings to you. It is with pleasure that I convey to you my perspectives and those of the individuals under my leadership regarding several matters within our party, particularly concerning corruption scandals that have placed the NUP on the brink of succumbing to the clutches of oppression, akin to the fate of many other political parties.
Mr. President, on Transparency International’s 2023 Corruption Perceptions Index, Uganda received a score of 26 on a scale ranging from 0 (indicating high corruption) to 100 (representing utmost cleanliness). In terms of ranking by score, Uganda stood at 141st among the 180 countries assessed in the Index. The top-ranking country is perceived to boast the most honest public sector. Consequently, this data underscores the global recognition of Uganda’s notoriety in corruption circles, surpassing that of our counterparts in the East African Community (EAC).
Corruption has long been a prevalent practice among those in power, notably within the ruling government of the National Resistance Movement (NRM) led by Gen Yoweri Kaguta Museveni. Regrettably, this vice has permeated into the most robust opposition parties, including the Uganda People’s Congress (UPC), Democratic Party (DP), Forum For Democratic Change (FDC), and most recently, your National Unity Platform. The common thread in this web of corruption is the bribery of top party leaders by the ruling government, exhibiting no regard for the misuse of taxpayers’ funds.
The NUP has not been exempt from such malfeasance. At present, our Vice President for the Central region, known as the Commissioner of Parliament, Honorable Mathias Mpuuga, proudly flaunts a Ugx500 million bribe, which he deems a ‘service award’ for his purportedly ‘exemplary’ services to the country. This prominent member of our party is being manipulated by a corrupt counterpart, the Speaker of Parliament, Honorable Anita Among, whose budget has reportedly skyrocketed to over Ugx13 billion, far exceeding that of her predecessor, Jacob Oulanyah, who operated with a budget of merely Ugx1.5 billion.
One crucial factor contributing to the tarnishing of opposition political parties is the recruitment of ‘exhausted and aged’ politicians who have relinquished the aspiration of unseating President Museveni and have instead pursued their personal interests. Many of these individuals hold influential positions within our NUP. Noteworthy figures include Butambala MP Honorable Muwanga Muhammad Kivumbi, Busiro MP Honorable Medard Sseggona, Kimanya Kabonera MP Honorable Abed Bwanika, and NUP’s head of mobilization, Fred Nyanzi, among others. These individuals, at the conclusion of each five-year political term, shift to new parties in search of greater advantages. They depart from their former parties after causing discord and being implicated in corrupt activities. Indeed, the parties they abandoned have since collapsed. Are we to anticipate a similar fate for the NUP?
To put it bluntly, these are disheartening politicians whose primary concern is wealth and resources, rather than serving the nation effectively or remaining loyal to their respective parties. They find it convenient to seek handouts from Museveni and have forsaken their patriotic allegiance. They have forgotten the vision of establishing a democratic nation free from the tyranny of Gen Museveni. Consequently, some of us have been compelled to flee our homeland. In conclusion, Mr. President of the NUP, what if you were to dismiss all these aged and weary politicians before 2026, thereby safeguarding our political party from descending into the abyss of Uganda’s rampant corruption?
Sincerely,
Bruno Machabire
Chief Whip
NUP Netherlands/Belgium Chapter.
