Mpuuga set to register new political party

Mpuuga Set to Register New Political PartyMathias Mpuuga, the former Leader of Opposition and Member of Parliament for Nyendo-Mukungwe, has announced plans to officially register his newly formed political platform, the Democratic Alliance (DA), in the coming months. 

Speaking to NBS on Monday, Mpuuga revealed that while the DA is currently operating as a civic platform, it will soon evolve into a fully recognised political entity. 

He intends to contest for the presidency under this platform. 

“Officially I am on a new platform and at the right time, it will become a legal entity,” Mpuuga stated, adding that the DA is in the process of structuring itself, with plans to hold countrywide meetings to recruit members and strengthen its base before it formally registers as a political party.

His move comes after months of speculation regarding his next steps following his suspension from the National Unity Platform (NUP), a party he had been closely associated with.

The Fallout with NUP

Mpuuga’s relationship with NUP soured earlier this year, following a public fallout over a controversial Shs 500 million service award he and other parliamentary commissioners received. 

This disagreement escalated when NUP president Robert Kyagulanyi suspended Mpuuga from his position as the party's Deputy President for Buganda. Kyagulanyi also directed Mpuuga to resign as a parliamentary commissioner, a move that Mpuuga resisted. 

The tensions within the party deepened, with Mpuuga criticising the internal wrangling and infighting that had come to define NUP.

In reflection on his time with NUP, Mpuuga stated that over the past four years, the party's focus had shifted from the pursuit of democratic governance to petty internal disputes.

According to Mpuuga, these divisions had derailed the broader struggle for change in Uganda. His criticism of the party, which he had once been a key figure in, made his decision to part ways clear.

A Vision for Change

Mpuuga's new initiative, the Democratic Alliance, seeks to provide a fresh platform for those disillusioned by the current state of Ugandan politics. 

With his experience and history of leadership, Mpuuga has outlined his ambition to create a political party that focuses on real issues rather than internal politics. While details of the DA's policies and structure remain to be fully disclosed, Mpuuga’s emphasis on unity and democratic change is clear.