The former Member of Parliament for Jinja Municipality East, Paul Mwiru, has joined the leading opposition party, National Unity Platform (NUP).

In the last parliamentary elections in 2021, Mwiru failed to retain the seat on an Alliance for National Transformation (ANT) ticket.

He is now among the scores of people in Busoga sub-region in Uganda's east who have left other parties and moved to NUP.

Those who have switched allegiance include members from both the Opposition and the ruling party (NRM).

The group was received by NUP president and former Kyadondo East MP Robert Kyagulanyi aka Bobi Wine at the party’s Busoga regional offices in Jinja city on Friday.

Mwiru told cheering supportes that his change of heart was informed by the need to join the struggle against the current government.

He still maintains that he beat NRM's Nathan Igeme Nabeta, who is the current Jinja East MP, in the last elections.

Mwiru said it is "incumbent upon us as peace-loving Ugandans to rally behind Kyagulanyi to cause regime change".

Mwiru represented Jinja Municipality East in Parliament on the FDC ticket for two consecutive terms (2011 to 2021).

In the leadup to the 2021 general elections, Mwiru defected from FDC and crossed over to ANT, led by former FDC president Gen. Mugisha Muntu.

He lost to NRM's Nabeta and went to petition court over alleged electoral malpractices, but he lost the legal battle.

One of the other defectors is former Jinja central division LC3 chairman Mubarak Kirunda, who was formerly with the Forum for Democratic Change (FDC).

NUP also welcomed Chris Wabwire, the Kamuli LC5 councilor for Mbulamuti town council, who until Friday was the district NRM caucus chairman.

Wabwire crossed over along with three other lower council leaders from Mbulamuti and Kisozi sub-counties.

“As a young person, I decided to join NUP because it is a party run by young people yet it is a people-centered party," said Wabwire, adding that he sees potential in the NUP leadership.

In receiving the new group, Kyagulanyi was accompanied by party secretary general Lewis Rubongoya, Jinja city Woman MP Manjeri Kyebakutika and NUP deputy president for eastern region John Baptist Nambeshe.

The NUP president commended the newcomers for taking what he called a bold step in joining the party.