By Kabuye Ronald
In a sharply-worded and revealing appearance on NBS TV’s Morning Breeze show on August 8, 2025, Democratic Front (DF) President Mathias Mpuuga issued a dire warning to Uganda’s political opposition: embrace electoral reforms now or face inevitable defeat in the 2026 general elections.
Seated across from seasoned journalist Simon Kaggwa Njala, Mpuuga also Member of Parliament for Nyendo-Mukungwe delivered a compelling case for sweeping constitutional and electoral changes. He insisted that the failure to enact reforms would all but guarantee another term for President Yoweri Kaguta Museveni, who is approaching four decades in power.
A Call to Wake Up
“I see a big problem unless in the next few months the opposition smells the coffee and picks up [the electoral reforms push] very fast,” Mpuuga warned, his tone urgent and unmistakably frustrated.
For Mpuuga, the call for reforms is not new. He has championed them for over three years, dating back to his tenure as Leader of the Opposition in Parliament. However, he claims his efforts have met resistance even from within the very opposition camp that stands to benefit most.
In a clear jab at National Unity Platform (NUP) President Robert Kyagulanyi, alias Bobi Wine, Mpuuga accused certain opposition figures of actively undermining reform efforts.
“Those who retorted to me over reforms were in connivance with the regime to deliberately make sure the opposition looks shabby at the 2026 polls,” he said bluntly.
Reform Proposals at a Glance
Mpuuga laid out an ambitious but focused reform agenda that includes:
- Allowing Ugandans in the diaspora and prisoners to vote
- Reducing the number of MPs from 529 to 295
- Restoring presidential term limits
- Mandating running mates for presidential candidates (to become deputy presidents)
- Establishing a second chamber of Parliament comprising 39 MPs from Uganda’s original districts
- Changing how the Electoral Commission is constituted
- Rethinking Uganda’s decentralization model
- Enabling district-level presidential result declarations
- Moving from first-past-the-post to proportional representation in parliamentary elections
- Allowing ordinary voters to legally challenge presidential election results
“These are simple matters we thought the opposition could pass through,” Mpuuga lamented, pointing to internal divisions, apathy, and self-interest as major stumbling blocks.
Disunity and Opportunism: The Real Opposition Enemy
Mpuuga painted a grim picture of a fragmented opposition more concerned with individual ambitions than collective victory. He reflected:
“People lose imagination and decide to say it is entirely on going into an election regardless of whether there are reforms or not.”
He dismissed accusations that his leadership failed to rally others around the reform agenda, asking rhetorically:
“Did the driver take away issues? What stopped other drivers from picking up the issues?”
He called for a united front, warning that time is running out to prepare the political ground for credible elections.
The Price of Delay
With the 2026 polls looming, Mpuuga stressed that delay is a luxury the opposition cannot afford.
“It is not a question of should, we must unite,” he asserted. “The whole idea of the opposition coming together is not just a ritual.”
For Mpuuga, the struggle for reforms is not about personal vindication, but about ensuring that Ugandans can choose their leaders through a transparent, fair, and inclusive process.
“The electoral reform agenda may not give us everything we need at this moment, but it must start now,” he emphasized.
As Uganda inches closer to yet another high-stakes election, Mathias Mpuuga’s warnings echo like a last call to action: without urgent reforms, the opposition may once again find itself playing into the hands of the ruling regime.
