MPS DIVIDED OVER NUP’S “PROTEST VOTE” CAMPAIGN

NILE POST

The NUP, led by Robert Kyagulanyi, has launched a campaign encouraging Ugandans to vote out the ruling National Resistance Movement (NRM) government in protest of poor service delivery and bad governance.

A section of legislators has urged the National Unity Platform (NUP) to reconsider their “protest vote” slogan ahead of the 2026 general elections.

The NUP, led by Robert Kyagulanyi, has launched a campaign encouraging Ugandans to vote out the ruling National Resistance Movement (NRM) government in protest of poor service delivery and bad governance.

Lulume Bayigga, a Democratic Party MP for Buikwe South, and Bernard Odoi, a National Resistance Movement MP representing the youth in Eastern Uganda, have expressed concerns that the protest vote approach may not be effective. “Announcing a protest vote was too early, as it would only apply by circumstances, especially when President Museveni presents his son for presidency,” Bayigga said.

The legislators advise the NUP to focus on understanding voters’ concerns and presenting practical solutions instead of relying on a protest vote. “The approach of a protest vote may not be effective, advising the party to embark on understanding the concerns of the voters and presenting practical solutions instead of misleading the voters,” they said.

However, some NUP members, including Nakawa East legislator Ronald Balimwezo, support the protest vote campaign. “It’s the right of citizens to demand better services through the 2026 general elections by casting their votes protesting the bad governance of the ruling party,” Balimwezo said.

The implications of a protest vote are a topic of debate among MPs. While some see it as a means to bring about change, others believe it may disenfranchise Ugandans of their right to choose their leaders. “A protest vote is determined by circumstances,” Bayigga added.