Busiro East MP Medard Lubega Sseggona has officially quit the National Unity Platform (NUP), declaring he will contest as an independent candidate in the 2026 general elections.
The veteran legislator, who has represented Busiro East since 2011, made the announcement on Wednesday at his home in Buddo, days after NUP handed its parliamentary flag to singer and kadongo kamu star Mathias Walukaga.
“The People Must Decide”
Sseggona, 51, said his decision followed wide consultations with supporters who urged him to reject what they called an unfair party process.
“The party has its job and the people have theirs. I expect the people to do their job. It is the people who should decide for the party, not the party deciding for them,” he stated.
Supporters at the meeting accused the NUP leadership of sidelining Sseggona despite his long record of service, describing him as a role model and defender of opposition activists, often representing them in court free of charge.
“Bobi is our president, but for MP, it is Sseggona,” one supporter declared. Others warned that favoritism in flag allocation risked alienating grassroots members.
Swipe at Walukaga
Defending his record, Sseggona recalled his role in mobilising Busiro East against the ruling NRM and supporting Robert Kyagulanyi’s rise to national prominence.
He rejected claims of absenteeism in Parliament and pledged to improve his visibility if re-elected. In an apparent dig at Walukaga, he cautioned voters against sending entertainers without legislative experience to Parliament.
“Do not send to Parliament people who cannot debate or understand issues. Leadership is not a joke,” he said.
Umbrella With Holes
Sseggona went further, arguing that the denial of his NUP ticket was part of a scheme to “humiliate the Baganda people and weaken them in Parliament,” a move he said only serves the government.
However, he distanced himself from any faction that could sabotage Kyagulanyi’s presidential ambitions, stressing that he will not work with forces that entrench President Museveni’s rule.
Using a metaphor, he likened NUP to an umbrella with holes: “When it rains, water leaks through.”
The Road Ahead
The MP announced plans to hold constituency conventions at parish and sub-county levels before unveiling his manifesto and campaign symbol.
Sseggona declared that his next political chapter begins now, with a focus on defending his parliamentary seat and, in his words, “helping the people understand the truth.”
