We can’t oust Museveni, says NUP leader after his followers injured in Busia brawl

With just over a year to go until the 2026 general election, a senior member of the National Unity Platform (NUP) admits they will find it difficult to topple President Museveni.

NUP Eastern Region Chairman Andrew Kizza Kaluya told some party members that amid “infighting and confusion” in the main opposition party, it was becoming “almost impossible” to oust President Museveni. , which has been in power for almost four decades.
His comments come as the party has endured political upheaval, including alleged smears and mistrust among some members, that have threatened its existence.
“We spent a lot of time fighting among ourselves instead of carrying out a mobilization which I think favors Mr Museveni,” Kaluya said on Monday.

He said that while his election as acting district president (Busia) by the party hierarchy was aimed at promoting sanity and unity among members, it was turning out to be a herculean task.
“Since the time I was appointed Acting NUP Chairman for Busia District, I have suffered a lot of attacks and abuse on social media from some people who claim to be members of our party and who are bent on creating divisions,” he said. .

He said infighting among key party members had thwarted the registration and issuance of party cards to new party members after some supporters, whom he called “NRM moles”, allegedly raided the homes of registrars. designated and confiscated party cards and record books.

Kaluya spoke from the Busia police station where he had gone to secure the release of some party members who had been arrested after a fight broke out between rival factions at the Bukedi region party offices in Busia district. over the weekend, leaving five supporters hospitalized.
The injured are NUP foot soldiers who were guarding the party offices before a planned meeting, when a group of youths with sticks and stones attacked them.

George Wafula, a party mobilizer and member of the caretaker committee, said he had seen a group of “funny-looking young men” arrive at the office, armed with sticks and stones, and when foot soldiers guarding the offices tried to stop them. They physically attacked whoever they met.
At the end of the melee, five infantrymen were seriously injured, while party offices were vandalized and some houses in the neighborhood were damaged.

Abdu Musa Were, Mahande Wesonga and Livingstone Barasa Mabachi, a trio accused of being behind the chaos, however denied mobilizing the youths and blamed Wafula for allegedly deploying a group of boxers at the party offices.
Mahande, a councilor representing Marachi in Busia East Division, said the fighting began after foot soldiers who had been deployed at the offices prevented him from accessing the meeting venue despite being “one of the few elected party leaders.
Were accuses Wafula of starting the fight with the aim of defeating someone who was not in his favor.
Henry Oundo, who operates a shop near the NUP offices, suffered damage to his house during the fight, saying he had earlier seen a group of “strange-looking” men armed with sticks and stones, and in less than five minutes , there was a stampede at the NUP offices.
Police responded by firing tear gas to disperse the youths and in the process arrested some of the attackers and party supporters.

Bukedi southern region police spokesperson Moses Mugwe said they had been deployed to NUP offices following fighting between rival factions.
“We intervened and arrested several people who were causing violence at the NUP offices,” he said, adding that among the injured, who are admitted to Dabani hospital, are Robert Wafula, Joseph Wandera and Godfrey Manyuru, while two others are admitted to Busia. Health Center IV.

Wandera, who suffered deep cuts to his head and was bleeding from his ears, described his attackers as “well trained in street fighting.”
He said the group first engaged them in a fist fight and when they realized they were being overpowered, they resorted to using stones and sticks.

Mugwe blamed NUP party leaders for calling their meeting without informing the police, which he described as “wrong”.
“Although their meeting was internal and few people participated in it, it was appropriate for them to notify the police because we are there to protect all Ugandans and their property,” he said.

This is not the first time that NUP supporters have brawled at the party offices.

The clashes in Busia come after police fired tear gas and live bullets on March 18, 2024 to disperse warring camps of the opposition NUP as they exchanged blows over the party’s mobilization strategy commonly known as “Kunga Uganda” in the city of Masaka.

Members of the two sides, one led by Masaka City Mayor Florence Namayanja, and the other associated under pressure with former Leader of the Opposition in Parliament (LoP), Mathias Mpuuga, had met at the offices of the party in the city to dissociate itself from seven area councilors who joined the Patriotic League of Uganda (PLU).

PLU describes itself as a pressure group led by the first son, General Muhoozi Kainerugaba, who visited the area days before the fight.