Mubarak Munyagwa, former Kawempe South MP and founder of the newly launched Common Man’s Party, has criticized the National Unity Platform (NUP), accusing it of prioritizing internal opposition disputes over the broader goal of challenging President Museveni’s regime.
Speaking after unveiling his new political party, Munyagwa voiced frustration with the Kavule-based NUP, saying it lacks a clear political direction.
He argued that while NUP holds a dominant position in Uganda’s opposition landscape, it often uses its influence to attack fellow opposition figures instead of confronting the ruling government.
“They don’t seem to know who their real opponent is,they have the resources and the platform, yet they spend more time fighting within the opposition than working to dismantle Museveni’s hold on power.”,Munyagwa said.
He cited recent clashes NUP has had with various public figures, including musicians Alien Skin and Bebe Cool, as well as tensions with the Katikkiro and Mengo.
According to Munyagwa, these distractions serve no strategic purpose and only weaken the opposition’s effectiveness.
“None of this brings us closer to removing Museveni. In fact, this is exactly what the President wants. These petty battles don’t affect his rule,” he added.
Munyagwa also noted that NUP has a rare advantage that no previous opposition party has enjoyed massive support from the central region and a youthful, energized base. However, he believes the party has failed to capitalize on this momentum due to misplaced priorities.
“I’m concerned about their lack of political bearing,You can’t be the strongest force in the opposition and at the same time spend your energy attacking your own allies. You can’t claim to fight a dictatorship while making the opposition fear you too.”,he said.
Despite his criticism, Munyagwa did not rule out working with NUP in the future, should the opportunity arise.
His remarks come as Uganda’s political landscape sees a surge of new opposition movements ahead of the 2026 general elections.
These include the Democratic Front (DF), led by former NUP deputy president Mathias Mpuuga, and the People’s Front for Transition (PFT), spearheaded by Lord Mayor Erias Lukwago and veteran opposition leader Dr. Kizza Besigye.
With his new party, Munyagwa hopes to steer the opposition toward a more unified and focused direction one that targets the real source of Uganda’s political challenges.
