Da Dona
JF-Expert Member
- Dec 16, 2025
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- 524
National Unity Platform (NUP) President Robert Kyagulanyi, popularly known as Bobi Wine, has reaffirmed the party's commitment to the struggle for democracy and constitutional change as Uganda's leading opposition party marked six years since its unveiling as the political wing of the People Power movement.
NUP was officially unveiled on July 22, 2020, after the People Power movement adopted the National Unity, Reconciliation and Development Party (NURP), which was subsequently rebranded as the National Unity Platform. The party quickly rose to prominence ahead of the 2021 General Election, emerging as the country's main opposition force.
In the 2021 elections, NUP secured the largest number of opposition seats in Parliament, replacing the Forum for Democratic Change (FDC) as Uganda's leading opposition party. The party has since maintained a strong presence in Parliament and local governments, while continuing to position itself as the principal challenger to President Yoweri Museveni's National Resistance Movement (NRM).
Marking the anniversary in a message Shared on X, Bobi Wine reflected on what he described as six years of sacrifice, pain and resilience.
"When we set out, many detractors said we wouldn't last a month. They called us hooligans and lumpens. They branded us a passing wave that would never amount to anything," he wrote.
He said that despite sustained political pressure, arrests and intimidation, NUP has remained resilient and is now recognised worldwide for advocating for the rights, freedoms and dignity of Ugandans.
The anniversary, however, was marked under what he described as "heavy hearts," with the party remembering members and supporters who remain in detention, those who have allegedly been tortured, and others who lost their lives during the political struggle.
Over the past six years, NUP has repeatedly accused security agencies of arresting and illegally detaining its supporters, particularly during and after the 2021 elections. The party says many of its members continue to face prosecution before military and civilian courts, while others remain missing. Government has consistently maintained that arrests are carried out in accordance with the law and are linked to specific criminal offences.
"We shall never forget their sacrifice," Bobi Wine said.
Addressing the government, he insisted that continued repression would not weaken the resolve of NUP supporters.
"Our spirits have not been and will not be crushed by the extreme repression," he said.
Bobi Wine also urged Ugandans not to lose hope, describing the challenges encountered by the opposition as temporary setbacks in what he termed an intergenerational struggle for freedom.
He concluded by thanking the party's leadership, diaspora chapters and grassroots supporters for standing with NUP over the past six years, expressing confidence that the party's mission would ultimately succeed.
"The journey may be long, but freedom is inevitable," he said.
