Incumbent Medard Sseggona said that he reacted with laughter after the National Unity Platform (NUP) dropped him as the Busiro East flag bearer for the 2026 elections, replacing him with musician-turned-politician Mathias Walukagga.
The NUP vetting committee’s decision has sparked mixed reactions among party members and supporters.
While releasing the list of candidates, the committee did not give detailed reasons for the changes, but Sseggona said he found the outcome amusing rather than upsetting.
“I’m not bitter am better. I laughed when I received the results from the NUP vetting committee,” Sseggona said, adding that some within the party accuse him of lacking humility despite his record of following procedures.
“Some accuse me of not being humble, but I have always followed the procedures, even if it meant sitting with people of less qualifications, that is humility,” he said.
When asked whether his loss of the party flag was linked to NUP fallout with Mathias Mpuuga, he acknowledged that it could be true, citing instances where some party members abused them and even vowed to see both of them removed from the party.
“Even those who don’t qualify to mention your name abuse you, and no one touches them. Some even sit with the top leaders in the party,” he said.
Sseggona further questioned the criteria used in the vetting exercise, arguing that it seemed to favor oral performance and popularity on the ground over seniority and academic qualifications.
“If there were points awarded for academic qualifications and seniority, the process would have been proper. But instead, it was based on passing an oral test and your power on the ground,” he noted.
On his next steps, the legislator said he would consult his constituents before making a final decision.
“I have no personal project in the Parliament of Uganda. I was deployed there by many stakeholders, including the people of Busiro, in 2011, 2016, and 2021. One stakeholder has spoken, so I am going to consult the last stakeholder and that is the people of Busiro to hear what they are saying,” Sseggona said.
