Busiro East MP Medard Lubega Sseggona has announced that he will contest as an independent candidate in the 2026 General Election, after losing the National Unity Platform (NUP) flag to musician Mathias Walukagga.
The decision was made during a consultative meeting with his supporters held at his residence in Nakasozi, Kyengera Town Council, Wakiso District.
Sseggona, a three-term legislator and one of the most recognizable opposition voices in Parliament, said his decision was influenced by overwhelming calls from constituents not to abandon the race.
“I have no personal project in the Parliament of Uganda. I am always deployed by various stakeholders—the party and the people of Busiro. Now that the party has made its decision, I am going to consult with the people of Busiro, and they have spoken,” he told supporters.
The Busiro East MP’s fallout with the NUP leadership is the latest signal of widening cracks in Uganda’s leading opposition party.
Sseggona revealed that internal manoeuvres to edge out senior members had begun long before the controversy involving former Leader of the Opposition, Mathias Mpuuga, who faced backlash in March 2024 after pocketing a Shs500 million “service award” along with other parliamentary commissioners.
“Even before the Mpuuga scenario, there were rumours that they wanted to oust us,” Sseggona said, adding that the saga only exposed deep-rooted mistrust within the party.
Both he and Mpuuga trace their political roots to the Democratic Party (DP), where they once belonged to the influential Uganda Young Democrats pressure group.
Their eventual defection to Robert Kyagulanyi’s People Power movement helped broaden its appeal among traditional opposition supporters and lent credibility to the NUP brand ahead of the 2021 general elections. However, critics say that same DP wing has now become a target in NUP’s realignment.
Sseggona is among several legislators, including Makindye East MP Allan Ssewanyana and Mityana District Woman MP Joyce Bagala, who have failed to secure NUP’s endorsement for 2026.
In Busiro East, the NUP ticket has gone to singer-turned-politician Mathias Walukagga, a household name in Buganda’s music circles. Sseggona insists he harbors no ill feelings toward Walukagga, with whom he has worked closely in the constituency.
“I have worked with my brother Walukagga. The idea was to nurture him into a better person who can be elevated. Unfortunately, the process has been hijacked—but I am at peace with it,” he said. Still, the development sets up one of the most intriguing races in the central region, pitting a seasoned legislator with a strong legal and parliamentary track record against a cultural icon riding on NUP’s grassroots machinery.
While many expected Sseggona to lash out at the party’s leadership after losing the flag, the MP struck a conciliatory tone, stressing he had no intention of destabilizing NUP or undermining Kyagulanyi’s leadership.
“I will not contribute to a debate that destroys my brother Kyagulanyi or strengthens Gen. Museveni and his team. I am not bitter; I am actually better. I am at peace in my heart,” he said. Nonetheless, he questioned the transparency of the endorsement process, casting doubt on claims that NUP consulted widely before awarding party cards.
“When you say you asked people on the ground, you need to have evidence. Who did you ask? Is he or she a party member? Where does this person live?” he asked.
Sseggona also wondered why his exclusion had drawn disproportionate attention compared to others who were dropped. “I am one of the many people who were denied the party card. Why is the fuss about me? This must show you that maybe something went wrong,” he said.
NUP’s handling of its internal primaries and endorsements has reignited debate over its identity as a young but fast-growing opposition movement. While Kyagulanyi remains the face of the party, its challenge has been to balance loyalty to the “People Power” brand with the competing interests of defectors from other opposition formations such as DP and FDC.
Analysts say Sseggona’s independent bid illustrates the risk of fragmentation within NUP as it heads into the 2026 elections. While the party seeks to project unity, the sidelining of figures like Sseggona and Mpuuga could energize rivals who accuse NUP of intolerance and centralised decision-making.
For Sseggona, however, the focus remains on his constituency. “I would bleed if I lost divine favour, but I won’t suffer if I lost human favour,” he told supporters, reiterating his confidence that the voters of Busiro East will remain loyal to him despite the party’s decision.
The battle for Busiro East now shapes up as a litmus test of whether NUP’s brand power can eclipse long-standing personal loyalty built over more than a decade.
For Sseggona, the contest will be not just about reclaiming his seat, but also about proving that political survival in Uganda’s opposition is still possible outside the party’s inner circle.