The National Unity Platform has denied reports that it is holding secret negotiations with the government over Robert Kyagulanyi’s return, political prisoners and access to public funding through the Inter-Party Organisation for Dialogue.
Several unnamed sources within government and NUP reportedly claimed that informal contacts had taken place in recent months. They said the discussions focused on three politically sensitive issues.
However, NUP secretary general David Lewis Rubongoya rejected the claims, saying no negotiations were underway.
“There is no talks going on between government and NUP on any matters concerning us; whoever gave you that information was wrong,” Rubongoya said.
The Observer, which reported the claims, said it could not independently verify whether the alleged discussions had taken place or produced any agreement.
Sources allege informal political contacts
According to the report, the alleged engagement did not amount to formal or structured negotiations.
The sources claimed Rubongoya and NUP treasurer Benjamin Katana participated on behalf of the opposition party.
They alleged that Uganda’s Ambassador to the United Nations, Adonia Ayebare, led the government side. The report described Ayebare as recently designated minister of Foreign Affairs.
Neither Ayebare nor other government officials named in the report publicly confirmed the alleged talks.
The sources said Kyagulanyi’s possible return to Uganda was among the main issues under discussion.
Kyagulanyi, widely known as Bobi Wine, left Uganda shortly after the January presidential election. He said intelligence available to him indicated that his life was in danger.
After appearing in the United States, Kyagulanyi said he planned to engage the international community over Uganda’s democratic situation before returning home.
According to the unnamed sources, concerns about his security remain unresolved. They cited reports of abductions and alleged torture involving opposition supporters.
Political prisoners and plea bargains
The second issue reportedly concerned people detained on politically related charges.
The sources claimed NUP had demanded the release of political prisoners, including supporters who have remained in detention since the 2021 general election.
One source alleged that the government was willing to consider cases linked to the 2026 electoral period but would not extend the same consideration to suspects arrested after the 2021 elections.
“But they said, they will not release those who were arrested in relation to 2021 because they are criminals,” the source said.
The allegation has not been independently verified.
The debate over political prisoners intensified after NUP explained why some detained supporters had accepted plea bargains following prolonged periods in custody.
“Following numerous bail denials and Museveni’s recent remarks directing judicial officers not to release our people on bail, some of our comrades have opted to plead guilty or enter into plea bargains for offences everyone knows they did not commit,” the party said in a statement signed by Rubongoya.
“By taking this step, these comrades are not in any way admitting that they committed any offences, but they consider it to be the quickest path available for them to get out of the long periods of detention without trial.
“Our position on this matter remains that while we never encourage anyone to incriminate themselves, we never judge those who, being weighed down by the numerous challenges that come with illegal detention, choose to plead guilty and come out of jail. More so, if they do so within clear known legal processes such as plea bargaining. What is more important is how those comrades behave when they’re released.”
The statement came shortly before former Butambala MP Muhammad Muwanga Kivumbi and 22 other people secured bail.
Authorities later rearrested Kivumbi. Rubongoya said the party did not know where he was being held.
“Still we don’t know where he is being held,” he said.
Rubongoya also denied that NUP was discussing the prisoners’ situation with the government.
“Still, there are no talks about that same issue; you are seeing our people are now being forced into plea bargains on crimes they didn’t commit, then how could we be in talks about the same issue,” he said.
NUP seeks admission to IPOD
The third issue concerns NUP’s efforts to join the Inter-Party Organisation for Dialogue.
Political parties represented in Parliament receive public funding through the organisation. NUP officials estimate that the party has missed out on close to Shs 8 billion since amendments to the Political Parties and Organisations Act took effect last year.
NUP challenged the legislation in court but did not succeed.
NRM secretary general Richard Todwong recently confirmed that the ruling party had accepted NUP’s proposed admission to IPOD.
Correspondence between IPOD executive director Dr Lawrence Sserwambala Kabagabe and Rubongoya shows that the admission process is already underway.
Sserwambala informed NUP that the Council of Secretaries General had agreed in principle to admit the party. However, he said NUP first needed to submit a formal written request.
“During its deliberations, the Council noted that, whereas the party has publicly expressed interest in joining IPOD, the secretariat has not received any explicit and formal written expression of interest… Notwithstanding the foregoing, and in recognition of the importance of broadening inclusive inter-party dialogue in Uganda, the Council resolved to forward and recommend, in principle, the admission of the National Unity Platform into IPOD, subject to the submission of a formal written expression of interest to the Secretariat,” the letter states.
The letter also said the party president must personally sign IPOD’s Memorandum of Understanding.
“In accordance with the IPOD Memorandum of Understanding, the Council expects that the president of the party, in the witness of the secretary general, and not any delegated representative, shall personally execute the admission instruments and commit the party to the principles, objectives, and obligations of IPOD during the signing ceremony.”
Rubongoya responded by formally declaring NUP’s interest in joining the organisation.
However, he proposed that acting party president Dr Lina Zedriga Waru sign the documents because Kyagulanyi was outside Uganda.
“I write to formally express the National Unity Platform’s interest in joining the Inter-Party Organisation for Dialogue and signing the Memorandum of Understanding thereof,” Rubongoya wrote.
“Regarding the execution of the admission instruments, please note that the substantive president of the party is out of the country. In his absence and in accordance with our party Constitution, the acting president, Dr. Lina Zedriga Waru, is duly mandated to carry out all functions of the office of party president, including executing the said instruments. She is readily available to do the same.”
Rubongoya maintained that the IPOD engagement was public and should not be interpreted as evidence of secret government negotiations.
“Everything is in the public domain; there is nothing being done in secret. Whichever information you want concerning NUP and IPOD is already in the public, we have been open about these matters,” he said.
Claims of financial pressure on NUP
Two sources described as close to NUP also claimed that the withholding of public funding had placed the party under increasing financial pressure.
They alleged that the party had struggled to meet routine expenses, including salaries for workers at its secretariat.
The sources further claimed that financial support from Ugandans living abroad had declined in recent months.
“The diaspora used to contribute significantly to party activities, but many of them stopped donating. Some because of the fear of criminalisation from the state while others lost hope that the party can bring change,” one source said.
Rubongoya declined to respond to the claims about NUP’s finances.
It remains unclear whether the reported contacts represented political negotiations or separate informal conversations.
However, official correspondence confirms that NUP and IPOD are discussing the party’s admission. Questions about Kyagulanyi’s return and the continued detention of opposition supporters also remain unresolved.
