Africa-Press – Uganda. Nyendo–Mukungwe Constituency MP-elect Lubowa Ssebina Gyaviira has said the National Unity Platform (NUP) is not opposed to political dialogue with President Yoweri Museveni, but insists that any engagement must follow established best practices to ensure fairness and credibility.
Speaking on the current debate over dialogue versus election audits, Gyaviira said dialogue cannot take place in an environment where opposition members are arrested, detained, or facing what he described as politically motivated charges.
“You cannot invite me for dialogue when my hands are tied,” Gyaviira said. “Some of our members are in prison or have been arrested on trumped-up charges. As a gesture of good faith, release these people.”
He cited cases of NUP supporters arrested during and after the 2020 election period, saying some have not been produced before courts of law.
Gyaviira said NUP’s position is not based on conditions but on what he termed best practice for political engagement between equal parties.
He outlined key expectations, including a neutral venue, an agreed agenda, and a secure environment that allows participants to speak freely without fear of arrest or harassment.
“We do not want a situation where one party is hosting the other at State House or in the President’s office,” he said. “That environment does not guarantee equality or freedom.”
He added that dialogue should involve clearly identified stakeholders, including political party leaders, religious leaders, and other national actors, and must be transparent to the public.
Gyaviira also criticized opposition leaders who recently met President Museveni at State House, questioning the legitimacy and representation of those engagements.
“This looks like private dialogue,” he said. “Who were they representing? Their parties? Members of Parliament who lost elections? Or Ugandans?”
He further questioned claims that NUP Members of Parliament attended the meeting, noting that no names were disclosed and no photographs showed their presence.
“If you say NUP MPs attended, name them,” Gyaviira said. “You cannot claim representation without accountability.”
The MP-elect said NUP believes the country is currently divided between those calling for an audit of the recent presidential election results and those pushing for immediate political dialogue, but warned that dialogue conducted without transparency risks undermining public trust.
Gyaviira also raised concern over the safety of NUP leaders, saying some party officials are being harassed while others are in hiding due to security pressure.
“We are being hunted,” he said, adding that the party’s leadership continues to face intimidation despite official claims by security agencies that they are not targeting opposition figures.
He reiterated that NUP remains open to dialogue, provided it is free, fair, inclusive, and conducted in a manner that restores confidence among all political actors and the wider public.
