The former former aid to the president of National Unity Platform (NUP) hon Kyagulanyi Ssentamu Robert, Denis Tumuhairwe pens down a letter to NUP secretary general David Lewis Rubongoya over LoP saga.
Mr Denis Tumuhairwe’s letter;
Life’s been a whirlwind, keeping me away from political chatter for a while—busy schedule and whatnot.
Yet, on a Friday just past, I strolled by the enchanting Magic Parking in Kampala, right across from Theater Labonita, for my routine bi-weekly cup of tea. However, this day was anything but routine; it buzzed with a heated debate on NUP’s imminent “reshuffle” of the Leader of the Opposition, alleging his term had expired. The epi-center of discussion? Hon. Muwanga Kivumbi, rumored to replace Hon. Mathias Mpuuga, as whispered by a trusty source.
Skipping the nitty-gritty of the arguments, this issue nudged me to put pen to paper.
You probably know, I was one of the first helpers in the political realm for Hon. Robert Kyagulanyi Ssentamu. I took on that role seriously until we had our disagreements, which we’ve since sorted out.
Back then, I’d always share my honest thoughts on any topic, no matter what others were saying or even if I knew it might not please my boss. Sometimes it made him more upset, but often it gave him a fresh perspective, and later on, he’d appreciate it.
Although he’s a good guy, I don’t feel I have the right or standing to advise Mr. Lewis Rubongoya, a man I’ve come to respect for his role in running our party.
Even though I have their private contacts now, I don’t feel my unsolicited advice would be well-received without being seen as prying. So, I’ve opted to share my thoughts on my socials, hoping someone might find value in them and tag my esteemed leaders at NUP. I trust they’ll take it in the good faith it’s meant for.
Let’s address the false narrative circulating about the Leader of Opposition’s tenure. Certain sections of the media, possibly fueled by some sponsorship, have slowly crafted and magnified these tales until they became headlines. These stories insist that the LoP’s term is wrapping up after two and a half years, precisely this December.
Initially, I brushed these off as mere rumors. However, last week, during a press conference, H.E Robert Kyagulanyi responded to a journalist’s question on this very matter. The discussion I stumbled upon on Friday urged me to voice my opinion on the subject.
Let me clear up a common misunderstanding about the Leader of Opposition’s (LoP) term that has been propagated for weeks – It doesn’t have a set expiry date. Instead, it continues for as long as the appointing authority decides. Unlike parliamentary standing committees and the commission, which have specific expiring tenures, the Party Whip and Leader of Opposition can be removed by the appointing authority at any time.
The source of confusion is understandable. In FDC, it somewhat became a default practice during crises where changes were necessary. The alterations to the LoP during FDC’s time weren’t routine but a result of serious internal disputes within the party.
The role of Leader of Opposition in Parliament was established under the Administration of Parliament Act during the enactment of The Political Parties and Organizations Act of 2005. This law officially recognized political parties in Uganda. Before that, we were all (forcibly) governed under the so-called movement system of governance.
The inaugural Leader of Opposition in Parliament was Prof. Morris Ogenga Latigo, who dedicated a full 5 years of his parliamentary term from 2006 to 2011, aligning with Dr. Kiiza Besigye’s leadership as FDC President.
Regrettably, in 2011, Hon. Latigo lost his seat to NRM’s James Okot. Following this, FDC appointed Hon. Nandala Mafabi as the new LoP. However, in 2012, Dr. Besigye stepped down from the FDC presidency mid-term, urging members to elect the next president internally.
In the fiercely contested FDC presidency election on November 22, 2012, Maj. Gen. Mugisha Muntu, then FDC National Mobilizer, triumphed over Hon. Nandala Mafabi, who was the Leader of Opposition in Parliament at the time. Nandala contested the results, boldly touring the country, claiming that Muntu had manipulated the elections to get the party’s top position.
This marked the moment when Muntu exercised his authority, replacing Nandala, who they alleged had been using LoP office resources to oppose the party president, with Wafula Ogutu on January 31, 2014 who held that office until the 2016.
In 2016, Ogenga Latigo’s fate befell Hon. Wafula Ogutu. He too lost his Bukooli MP seat to NRM’s Solomon Silwanyi. Subsequently, Hon. Winnie Kiiza assumed the role of LoP.
The tale of Winnie Kiiza is still fresh in our memories. She got replaced after a heated FDC presidential race, where Gen. Muntu lost to Eng. Patrick Amuriat. Muntu claimed foul play and went on to establish his party, ANT. The new leadership at Najjanankumbi suspected that Winnie Kiiza, the Leader of Opposition, played a significant role in facilitating Muntu’s move. Swiftly, FDC wrote to Parliament, withdrawing Winnie Kiiza and appointing Hon. Betty Aol Ochan on August 3, 2018.
Betty Ochan diligently served until 2021 when NUP assumed the role of the new Leading Party in Opposition, with the authority to appoint the Leader of Opposition in Parliament. NUP selected Hon. Mathias Mpuuga Nsamba as it’s inaugural LoP. Interestingly, Mpuuga is the first LoP from the Buganda region since the enactment of the Administration of Parliament Act in 2005.
Clearly, the circumstances that led to the FDC reshuffles are absent in NUP. Thus, it would be political dishonesty for anyone to push the narrative that the LoP’s tenure has expired, especially making it a national discussion.
Nonetheless, the party has absolute discretion to appoint or change the Leader of Opposition and Whip whenever it deems necessary.
Moreover, I trust that NUP recognizes the responsibility that comes with the authority to hire or dismiss. It’s crucial to exercise this power with care and consideration, taking a cue from Western democracies like Capitol Hill, which we often look up to as benchmarks. In these advanced democracies, priority is often given to experienced members, and sometimes, they even prefer individuals with honorary titles like “grey hair,” valuing the wisdom that comes with experience.
The Opposition must avoid mirroring or surpassing the ruling party’s actions, especially in decisions impacting dedicated comrades. Ours is more of a brotherhood, where mutual admiration and respect among contemporaries should outweigh any sense of fear.
Hence, I’d carefully reconsider and reflect on the potential impact of a reshuffle at this precise moment on the persona of Mathias Mpuuga. He has painstakingly built a career, garnering trust from the Catholic Church and Mengo over the years, not to mention the dedicated efforts he has invested in his role as LoP, including the ongoing programs he is actively pursuing.
With 2026 looming on the horizon, we have the flexibility to implement any necessary changes then. Unless, of course, we argue that Mpuuga has impeded our efforts to oust Museveni and that the replacement we seek is someone capable of bringing about Museveni’s downfall before2026. In that case, I would wholeheartedly support such a decision because we are all eager to see Museveni gone at the earliest opportunity.
For God and My Country
People Power, Our Power
