Mathias Mpuuga, the former Deputy President of the National Unity Platform (NUP) for the Buganda Region and Member of Parliament for Nyendo-Mukungwe, has officially launched a new political party, the Democratic Front (DF).
This development follows months of public friction and a dramatic fallout with NUP party president Robert Kyagulanyi Ssentamu, popularly known as Bobi Wine.
The dispute stemmed from allegations of abuse of office after it was revealed that Mpuuga received a shs500 million “service award” during his tenure as Leader of the Opposition in Parliament (LoP). NUP condemned the payment, labeled it illegal, and called for Mpuuga’s resignation, describing the move as “shameful” and equating it to corruption.
The controversy escalated further when an online campaign dubbed #UgandaParliamentExhibition accused Mpuuga and three backbench Parliamentary Commissioners of irregularly awarding themselves a total of shs1.7 billion in taxpayer funds under the pretext of service awards. The other commissioners involved were Solomon Silwany (Bukooli County Central), Prossy Mbabazi (Rubanda District Woman MP), and Esther Afoyochan (Zombo District Woman MP), each of whom reportedly received shs400 million.
Despite public outcry and NUP’s demands that Mpuuga return the funds, step down from his position as Parliamentary Commissioner, and publicly apologize to the nation, he refused. Efforts by MPs Theodore Ssekikubo (Lwemiyaga County) and Jonathan Odur (Erute South) to gather signatures for a motion to censure the four commissioners failed to gain traction.
In a significant legal victory for Mpuuga, the High Court, in a ruling delivered by Justice Douglas Karekona Singiza, declared the payouts lawful, affirming that the funds were duly appropriated through the national budget. Following the verdict, Mpuuga demanded an apology from NUP, accusing the party of passing judgment without giving him a fair hearing.
“What is appalling is that someone judges another without hearing their side of the story,” Mpuuga said. “That is what was done by my party. The party leaders, I know, are following what is happening. I am waiting to see what their response will be. They should apologize. If they don’t, I know what to do.”
With reconciliation with NUP seemingly off the table, Mpuuga has opted to forge a new political direction. The Electoral Commission officially approved the Democratic Front, and the launch event was attended by prominent political figures, including Dr. Abed Bwanika, Michael Kakembo, and Juliet Nakabuye.
The launch comes at a pivotal moment as Uganda gears up for the 2026 general elections, with DF positioning itself as a fresh political force.
Taking to his official X account (formerly Twitter), Mpuuga wrote: “Introducing the Democratic Front (DF), a new political party that is deliberate in bringing freshness to Uganda’s political landscape.
It is born out our motherland’s need for meaningful transformation that transcends the tired cycle of recycled ideologies. The comes not a disruption, but a necessity born of the failures of the status quo.
It is a home for logical thinkers, progressive minds, and those who believe in political ethics and disciplined service delivery”.
