ABED BWANIKA and MPUUGA face it ROUGH in MASAKA

The Speaker of Parliament, Annet Anita Among, has officially confirmed that eight Members of Parliament have changed their political party affiliations. The announcement came Thursday during a special parliamentary sitting at Kololo Independence Grounds, held just before President Yoweri Museveni delivered the State of the Nation Address.

In her communication as chair of the session, Speaker Among read out the names of the MPs and acknowledged receiving formal notifications of their defection. “We wish these members well in exercising their freedom of association, as prescribed in Article 29 of the 1995 Constitution, which we are committed to upholding,” the speaker said.

The defections involve MPs previously affiliated with opposition parties and independents, with the majority shifting to either the ruling National Resistance Movement (NRM) or the newly formed Democratic Front (DF). The National Unity Platform (NUP) has recorded the highest number of exits, losing five MPs. Bukoto South MP Twaha Kagabo has crossed from NUP to the NRM.

Kilak North MP Akol Anthony and Jonam County’s Ongiertho Emmanuel have both moved from the Forum for Democratic Change (FDC) to the NRM. Ojara Martin Mapenduzi, MP for Bardege-Layibi Division, has also joined the ruling party, departing from his previous independent status.

Four other MPs have joined the Democratic Front, a recently launched political formation. These include Nyendo-Mukungwe MP Mathias Mpuuga, Kimaanya-Kabonera’s Dr. Abed Bwanika, Entebbe Municipality’s Michael Kakembo, and Masaka City Woman MP Juliet Nakabuye Kakande—all formerly affiliated with NUP.

The constitutional implications of such moves are outlined in Article 83 of Uganda’s Constitution, which provides that an MP may lose their seat if they voluntarily leave the party under which they were elected. However, the law makes exceptions during the final 12 months before a general election, allowing MPs to associate freely in preparation for the polls.

These defections come against a backdrop of growing internal rifts in opposition parties, with some members expressing dissatisfaction with leadership and strategic direction. The shifting allegiances are seen as a culmination of months of political repositioning.
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While the eight MPs named by the Speaker have officially crossed the floor, several others, particularly from the FDC, who have publicly indicated similar intentions, remain legally aligned with their original parties. Unless they formally notify the Speaker or take action that confirms defection under parliamentary rules, they are still considered members of their original parties.