Have bribery claims weakened the NUP?

Over the last weeks, Uganda’s leading opposition political party the National Unity Platforms (NUP) has been engulfed in claims of sexual harassment and bribery against the party’s top most officials following the release of the first list of its local council flag bearers in the forthcoming general elections. The list was the first to be released as parliamentary aspirants await for the final list of parliamentary flag bearers.

However, this seemingly came at a very high cost to the party’s reputation as a formidable and transparent opposition political party seeking to take the helm of the country. Party members claim to have been conned a lot of money in a bid to procure party endorsements and tickets.

Some members have provided the general public with proof of money transfers to the party’s top most officials, with many others claiming to have been conned in the dark. The highest bidders took the show as they emerged victors with endorsement as party flag bearers. But the question remains that won’t these people ever spill the secrets surrounding the subject matter in the future or after disagreements with their party?

Proof mentioning bribery claims seems to be overwhelming which has forced many of the frustrated candidates who had initially sought party cards to run as independent candidates. Surely, why didn’t the NUP organize internal elections? Leadership abilities were left to be determined by the party and acts of financial indiscipline and sexual exploitation can never be refuted.

Unlike the 2021 elections where voters voted out of wave and peer excitement, the low morale as a result of the party’s indiscipline in allocating flags may weaken the usual NUP wave and spirit of party loyalty which will see the defeat of many NUP un-popular flag bearers.

Voters have themselves been seen questioning the credibility of some of the endorsed flag bearers’ for-example in the Nakawa mayor-ship, Kawempe, Nansana among other areas.  This is predicted to weaken the morale of the party’s voters towards the party’s flag bearers including the presidential candidate Robert Kyagulanyi Sentamu which could weaken his effectiveness against president Museveni.

Democratic observers have questioned the barbaric NUP practice of disenfranchising party members, extravagance of party leaders, poor governance and lack of accountability of donor funds and public funds from government in IPOD and Electoral Commission all of which have necessitated the party’s failure to conduct free and fair internal elections.

It further questions the democratic practice within the NUP and its readiness to take over power from the country’s long-time record leader Yoweri Museveni. The democratic un-seriousness casts doubts about the party’s readiness to preside over the country’s democracy with observers claiming that the NUP cannot give what they don’t have. They don’t have democracy and therefore can’t offer democracy to Uganda or lecture democracy to any other political party in the country including opposition parties.

Has the NUP learnt nothing and forgot nothing from its past and present mistakes? Could they be able to conduct free and fair elections for the party’s parliamentary flag bearers? Allegations of bribery surrounding parliamentary flag bearers are already making rounds with claims that the Makindye East MP Derrick Nyeko was allegedly required to remit over hundreds of millions to the NUP president Bobi Wine in order to retain the party ticket. This subsequently forced him to bow out of the parliamentary race, and many other allegations are making rounds. Is the party committing deliberate mistakes after the other?

In conclusion, bribery claims and lack of transparency are seemingly inevitable against NUP top officials ranging from extravagance to kickback as party members claim. These could inevitably disintegrate the country’s leading opposition party. The time frame of its disintegration could be in the long run or short run depending on the internal approach and mechanisms. This is because some of these acts, mistakes, claims or allegations have impacts which could be imminent or even in the short run. Is this the end of the beginning or the beginning of the end to financial and democratic indiscipline in Uganda’s opposition leading political party?