NUP Marks 5 Years of Defiance and Growth Amid Regime Repression

The National Unity Platform (NUP), Uganda’s leading opposition party, is celebrating five years since its public unveiling as the political wing of the People Power movement—an anniversary marked by pride, pain, and renewed resolve.

In a heartfelt message shared on social media, NUP President Robert Kyagulanyi Ssentamu (Bobi Wine) reflected on the party’s journey since July 22, 2019, praising the resilience of its members and honoring the sacrifices of those who have paid the ultimate price in the struggle for freedom.

“It is exactly 5 years today since we unveiled the political wing of our People Power movement, the NUP,” Bobi Wine wrote. “In these few years, the Party has registered incredible milestones… What a roller-coaster it has been!”

From a Movement to a Political Powerhouse

Within five years, NUP has rapidly transformed from a youthful protest movement into Uganda’s most formidable political opposition force, challenging President Yoweri Museveni’s decades-long rule. Despite operating under intense repression, the party has made notable achievements:

• Securing 57 parliamentary seats in the 2021 general elections—an unprecedented feat for a new party.

• Establishing the largest opposition political headquarters in Uganda.

• Opening regional offices to decentralize operations and expand grassroots mobilization.

These achievements have been realized despite meager resources, surveillance, and targeted harassment.

“We have endured innumerable challenges and survived many regime traps but have remained true to our values and commitment to end oppression in Uganda no matter how long it may take,” Bobi Wine affirmed.

Shadow of Persecution

However, the road has not been without sacrifice. NUP has faced unrelenting state violence. The list of injustices is long:

• Abductions and enforced disappearances of party supporters.

• Detentions without trial, often in military or secret facilities.

• Extrajudicial killings and torture of members and sympathizers.

“To you our comrades who have paid with your lives, have vanished, been imprisoned, or maimed in the name of our shared ideals, we see you. We honor you. We carry on in your name,” Bobi Wine declared in tribute.

Internal Reform and External Resistance

While dealing with external threats, NUP has also faced internal sabotage, with regime loyalists allegedly infiltrating the party to derail its mission. Bobi Wine noted that efforts to adopt a new party constitution to make the party more democratic and transparent have been hampered by “regime agents previously hiding in plain sight amongst us.”

Still, the party’s leadership insists it is committed to building a resilient, future-proof institution that transcends individuals and resists corruption.

Eyes on the Prize: Freedom

The 5-year milestone has not made NUP complacent. On the contrary, it has hardened its commitment to the larger vision: ending dictatorship and ushering in a free, just, and democratic Uganda.

“We may not be where we intended to be… but we are also in a much better place than we used to be,” Bobi Wine said. “We continue to stand tall… grounded in this mission and guided by the unshakeable belief that with God by our side, there is no mountain we shall not surmount on this treacherous journey to freedom!”

As Uganda approaches yet another electoral season, NUP’s fifth anniversary is a powerful reminder of the cost of resistance and the hope for a better tomorrow.