Africa-Press – Uganda. The National Unity Platform (NUP) held a high-stakes conference at its Kamwokya headquarters this week, as the opposition party led by Robert Kyagulanyi—widely known as Bobi Wine—mobilizes ahead of the 2026 general elections.
The event marked a strategic turning point for the party, which has grown from a 2017 by-election victory into the primary challenger to President Museveni’s four-decade rule under the National Resistance Movement (NRM).
The political tension surrounding the gathering escalated just a day before the conference, when police reportedly fired live bullets to disperse supporters gathered outside the party offices, according to Independent Uganda.
The clash underscored the increasingly hostile environment facing opposition groups and lent a heightened urgency to the conference proceedings, which included the election of a new National Executive Committee.
The event comes on the heels of a controversial law passed in May 2025, which reinstates military trials for civilians—widely criticized by human rights groups as a tool to stifle political dissent.
Within that context, analysts say NUP’s meeting was not merely about internal reorganization, but a clear act of political defiance.
“NUP is not just restructuring—it’s sending a message,” said one Kampala-based political analyst.
“This was about visibility, resilience, and drawing a line in the sand.”
Though there is limited empirical data linking political conferences to electoral outcomes, NUP’s public show of cohesion may help energize its base and reinforce its image as Uganda’s leading opposition force in an increasingly restricted political arena.
President Museveni, who has ruled Uganda since 1986, is widely expected to seek re-election in 2026, amid mounting criticism over democratic backsliding and the use of security forces to suppress opposition activity.
For More News And Analysis About Uganda Follow Africa-Press
