“We’re broke but ready!” – Nambooze defends NUP fundraiser for 2026 campaigns

Kampala, Uganda: Mukono Municipality MP Hon. Betty Nambooze Bakireke has defended the National Unity Platform’s ongoing public fundraising campaign, saying the party has been left with no option but to mobilize its own resources to finance the 2026 general election campaigns.

Nambooze, a senior member of Robert Kyagulanyi Ssentamu’s NUP, said the party has not received its share of government funding meant for political parties under the Political Parties and Organisations Act, forcing them to turn to supporters and well-wishers for donations.

“If the taxpayers’ money budgeted for political parties is now a trap, we are okay with foregoing it and mobilising our own funds,” Nambooze said on Tuesday during a local media appearance.

The veteran legislator confirmed that NUP launched a nationwide fundraiser this week, urging citizens to contribute whatever they can to support the party’s mobilization, transportation, and campaign logistics ahead of the 2026 polls.

“We have no time to wait. We must move with the people and by the people. That’s why I am fully in support of this campaign, and I also encourage Ugandans who believe in us to extend a helping hand,” she added.

Under Uganda’s multiparty arrangement, the government is required to disburse public funds annually to registered political parties based on numerical strength in Parliament. However, opposition parties like NUP and FDC have in the past accused the regime of withholding or manipulating funding processes, denying fair access to resources.

NUP officials argue that while the ruling NRM party benefits from state infrastructure and security privileges, opposition parties are left to fundraise for every campaign activity, creating an uneven political playing field.

So far, NUP has embarked on its social media base to rally supporters to contribute via mobile money, with party spokespersons promising transparency and regular financial reporting.