Kampala, Uganda: Mukono South MP-elect, Robert Maseruka, has urged members of the National Unity Platform (NUP) to uphold party discipline regardless of the outcome of internal elections, warning that the party will closely monitor how candidates behave after losing primaries.
Maseruka made the remarks on Sunday at Makerere Kavule during the NUP internal primaries for the 92nd guild presidential race at Makerere University.
A former Makerere Guild President himself, Maseruka addressed aspiring candidates and supporters, stressing that loyalty to the party should not end with internal competition.
“As NUP, the values that we have is discipline, and discipline requires that even when you don’t get the card, you remain a member of the National Unity Platform,” Maseruka told the gathering.
Warning against post-primary defections
Maseruka’s remarks appeared aimed at a common trend in student politics where candidates who lose primaries often defect to other parties, run as independents or withdraw from the race.
He cautioned the candidates that such actions contradict the party’s values and that NUP leadership would be observing their next steps. “The party is watching, and we shall continue to watch what each of you does even after this process,” he said.
Maseruka also challenged the candidates to demonstrate integrity in their leadership ambitions. “We are yet to see the integrity in our candidates,” he added.
The tone of the message reflected NUP’s growing dominance in student leadership at Makerere University. The opposition party has won the guild presidency for four consecutive cycles, including victories by Shamim Nambassa (2021), Lawrence Alionzi (2022), Robert Maseruka (2023), and Vincent Lubega Nsamba (2024).
Kadondi wins NUP ticket
The internal primary attracted 1,196 voters across five candidates, with Gracious Kadondi emerging the winner. Kadondi secured 580 votes, creating a 294-vote margin over second-placed Mike Mujuzi, who polled 286 votes.
Daniel Nyaika finished third with 261 votes, while John Mubiru and Cohen Atuha collectively received 69 votes.
Kadondi will now represent NUP in the main guild election to choose a successor to outgoing president Churchill Ssentamu, who won last year’s race as an independent candidate.
NUP Secretary General Lewis Rubongoya, who attended the primary exercise, described the process as a demonstration of the party’s commitment to internal democracy.
Rubongoya pledged the party’s full support to Kadondi as she prepares for the main guild election.
Kadondi, a third-year Bachelor of Optometry student at the College of Health Sciences, previously served as Female Guild Representative, a record the party hopes will strengthen her campaign.
Should Kadondi win the 2026 Makerere guild presidency, she will extend NUP’s strong hold on student leadership at Uganda’s largest public university.
For Maseruka, who is preparing to be sworn in as Member of Parliament for Mukono South, the moment also symbolises continuity between student leadership and national politics.
Observers say his appearance at the primaries reflects NUP’s determination to protect a political stronghold it has steadily built within Makerere’s student leadership.
If you would like your article/opinion to be published on Uganda’s most authoritative news platform, send your submission on: [email protected]. You can also follow DailyExpress on WhatsApp and on Twitter (X) for realtime updates.
