The opposition National Unity Platform (NUP), led by Robert Kyagulanyi, popularly known as Bobi Wine, has distanced itself from former Masaka City Woman MP candidate Rose Nalubowa after she revealed that she met President Yoweri Museveni following the 2026 general elections. The party says it was neither consulted nor informed about the meeting.
In a statement released on Saturday, NUP said it had learnt about the engagement through Nalubowa’s public remarks, in which she explained that the President had summoned her after the elections. The party was quick to clarify that the meeting was not organised or sanctioned by its leadership.
“Our attention has been brought to comments made by Hon. Rose Nalubowa by which she stated that she met with Gen. Yoweri Museveni, who according to her, summoned her after elections,” the party stated.
NUP further emphasised its position, saying: “We wish to clarify that as a Party we were never consulted on this matter, and were not aware of any such meeting.” The statement has attracted attention because of the political implications of opposition politicians holding private engagements with the President without their party’s knowledge.
Nalubowa, however, made further revelations that have added another dimension to the controversy, claiming that she was not the only NUP politician who met Museveni. She reportedly indicated that other opposition politicians who contested on the party ticket also had engagements with the President after the elections.
Her meeting with Museveni came amid a prolonged political dispute over the Masaka City Woman MP seat, which she contested against ruling NRM’s Justine Nameere. Nalubowa was initially declared the winner, but a subsequent recount reversed the result and gave Nameere victory. On October 21, 2026, the Masaka High Court dismissed Nalubowa’s election petition.
The controversy attracted even more attention after Nalubowa revealed that she found her political rival, Justine Nameere, at State House during the meeting. The development has added another dimension to the relationship between the two politicians, whose contest for the Masaka parliamentary seat has remained a subject of public interest.
NUP’s response has since raised questions about political loyalty, internal communication and individual engagements between opposition politicians and government leaders. The party has maintained that it was not involved in the meeting, while Nalubowa’s revelations have left many interested in knowing more about the alleged engagements involving other opposition figures.
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