Busiro East MP Medard Sseggona has announced his departure from the National Unity Platform (NUP), confirming he will contest the 2026 elections as an independent.
The decision came days after the party, led by Robert Kyagulanyi, also known as Bobi Wine, endorsed musician Mathias Walukaga as its parliamentary flagbearer.
Speaking at his home in Buddo on Wednesday, the 51-year-old legislator and lawyer said he had consulted extensively with constituents who urged him to stand on his own, citing what they described as unfair party processes.
“The party has its role and the people have theirs. Ultimately, voters should decide, not the party,” Sseggona told supporters.
Backers at the gathering accused NUP leaders of overlooking Sseggona despite his track record as a lawyer who has defended opposition activists, often without pay. Some expressed frustration over what they saw as favoritism in the allocation of party tickets.
“Bobi is our president, but for MP, it is Sseggona,” one supporter said.
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Sseggona defended his contribution to the opposition, recalling his efforts in mobilizing Busiro East against the ruling NRM and his role in supporting Kyagulanyi’s rise to the national stage.
He dismissed criticism that he is an absent legislator, promising to strengthen his presence in Parliament if re-elected. In a veiled criticism of Walukaga, he cautioned voters against electing entertainers lacking the skills to debate national issues.
“Parliament is not a stage for comedy. Leadership is serious business,” he remarked.
Sseggona also suggested that denying him the party ticket was a deliberate attempt to weaken Buganda’s voice in Parliament, a move he argued only served the interests of the government.
While ruling out cooperation with forces that back President Museveni, he also distanced himself from any group opposed to Kyagulanyi’s presidential ambitions.
The MP said he plans to hold grassroots conventions across his constituency before unveiling his manifesto and campaign symbol.
Comparing NUP to “an umbrella with holes,” he said, “When it rains, it cannot protect you.”
Sseggona declared that his new political journey had begun, with the aim of retaining his parliamentary seat and “helping people understand the truth.”
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