The Electoral Commission (EC) has written to the ‘self-imposed’ leadership of the National Unity Platform (NUP), headed by Moses Nkonge Kibalama reminding them that they resigned from the party leadership in May 2020.

The EC has gone ahead to confirm that Robert Kyagulanyi aka Bobi Wine, is the NUP party President with four deputies. They include Dr. Lina Zedrige Waru (Northern Uganda), Jolly Mugisha (Western Uganda), John Baptiste Nambetshe (Eastern Region) and Mathias Mpuuga (Central), who also doubles as the Leader of Opposition.  

Davis Lewis Rubungoya was confirmed as the party Secretary-General, deputized by Butambala District Woman Member of Parliament, Aisha Kabanda, Nakawa West MP Joel Ssenyonyi who also doubles as the party spokesperson, Flavia Kalule Nabagabe as secretary for women affairs, and  Fred Nyanzi Ssentamu secretary for national mobilization.

The developments have given a ‘big relief’ to the NUP party leadership and supporters who have been engaging in a war of words with the ‘break-away’ faction, calling each by all sorts of names.

The NUP leadership has often referred to the claims of the new faction as ‘mad and fake’, intended to disorganize the party.

The EC, while responding to ‘returns on the delegates’ conference submitted to their office on May 27, 2022, confirmed in a June 21 letter to Kibalama and Paul Ssimbwa Kagombe that the final submissions made to the commission on July 21, 2020, both of them resigned as party leaders and signed as out-going leaders.

Ssimbwa, an architect in the Kibalama ‘breakaway’ activities is listed as an administrative secretary in the EC letter.

“This is to acknowledge receipt of the above captioned returns lodged with the commission on 27^th May 2022.

You will recall that the final submission you made to the EC on July 21, 2020, you and Mr. Ssimbwa Paul Kagombe resigned as party leaders and both of you signed as outgoing leaders,” the letter signed by Russell Jacques Leonard Mulekwah states.

It was also copied to the Secretary-General of NUP, Rubungoya, which he received on June 22, 2022.

According to Mulekwah, prior to their resignation, they chaired a meeting that conducted elections of office bearers, ‘to whom you handed over respective offices, and the subsequent party meeting held elections of its National Executive Committee.

“Please do note that the filed returns or records with the commission as of 21^st July 2020 show the following office bearers and executive committee members,” the letter adds and lists 34 members of the national executive of NUP with Kyagulanyi as their President.

“According to article 6.2 (c) (ii) of the National Unity Platform (NUP) Constitution, the delegates’ conference is convened and chaired by the President, except that the President may delegate in writing, the power to chair it or any part thereof to any member of the National Executive Committee,” the letter reads in parts.

According to Mulekwah, no communication was on record in respect to resignation and or rescinding of offices by the said executive committee, who he said, according to article 6.2 (c) (i) of the party Constitution should hold office for five years.

“This is therefore, to inform you that the convening of the delegates’ conference and election of the national executive committee ought to comply with the NUP Constitution,” Mulekwah wrote.

The EC response in essence poured cold water on the Kibalama faction, who had even opened up parallel offices at Kabowa in Rubaga Division, sending ‘unpalatable’ messages to the NUP leadership, warning them against using the NUP party symbols, colors, stamps, and other materials.

The Kibalama group on May 27, 2022 convened what they termed as a delegates’ conference and allegedly resolved to end their relationship with the Kyagulanyi faction.

Kibalama, however in 2019 agreed with the Kyagulanyi group to rebrand his National Unity and Reconciliation Development-NURP party which acquired the new name the National Unity Platform (NUP) and resigned his position as party leader.

However, he later turned around and petitioned the high court, where he sought to de-register the party but the petition was dismissed.