Kampala, Uganda: Ugandan businessman and political analyst Frank Gashumba has stirred fresh controversy by alleging that the National Unity Platform (NUP) is a calculated project of the ruling National Resistance Movement (NRM).
Speaking candidly in a recent interview, Gashumba claimed that NUP was deliberately established with the support of the state to undermine the Forum for Democratic Change (FDC), which at the time was the largest opposition party under the leadership of Dr. Kizza Besigye.
“NUP is a creation of the NRM — it was formed to weaken FDC, and it succeeded. Kyagulanyi is only interested in getting more MPs into Parliament. This isn’t a protest vote — it’s a business vote,” Gashumba said.
According to Gashumba, Robert Kyagulanyi Ssentamu, alias Bobi Wine, was equipped with all the tools he needed to front the party as a credible opposition platform while indirectly serving NRM interests.
He argued that what began as a political strategy has now turned into what he described as “a business,” focused mainly on increasing parliamentary seats rather than genuine efforts to win national leadership.
The outspoken commentator further claimed that NUP has been accused of selling party membership cards to the highest bidders, limiting ordinary Ugandans’ ability to join or participate meaningfully.
His remarks have reignited debate about the authenticity of opposition formations in Uganda’s political landscape and the extent to which state structures influence multiparty competition.
At the time of publication, NUP had not issued an official response to Gashumba’s assertions.
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