President Yoweri Kaguta Museveni has welcomed Brian Asingwire, the National Unity Platform (NUP) flag bearer for Buyaga East Constituency, who has officially stepped down from the 2026 parliamentary race and crossed to the ruling National Resistance Movement (NRM).
In a message shared during his ongoing countrywide campaigns, Museveni said Asingwire’s decision reflected the growing appeal of the NRM message across the country.
“I welcome my son Asingwire Brian,” Museveni said. “The NRM message cannot be hidden. The Bible in Matthew chapter 5 verse 15 says, ‘Neither do men light a candle and put it under a bushel, but on a candlestick, and it giveth light unto all that are in the house.’”
Asingwire’s defection, announced at a campaign rally in Muhorro, Kagadi District, adds to a growing list of opposition figures and supporters who have abandoned NUP to join NRM as political temperatures rise ahead of the 2026 general elections.
His move was formally announced by Speaker of Parliament Anita Among, who has played a visible role in receiving defectors during Museveni’s rallies.
Wave of defections hits NUP
The development comes amid an intensifying wave of defections from NUP to NRM recorded since September 2025, particularly during or immediately after Museveni’s campaign engagements.
Mass defection events saw between 2,000 and over 3,000 youth in Kampala divisions hand over their National Unity Platform (NUP) membership cards to the ruling party in September 2025, just before the official pre-nomination period.
The trend has been most pronounced in Western Uganda, with additional cases reported in Northern and Eastern regions.
Earlier in the campaign season, NUP’s Acholi Sub-region Coordinator Brian Jakisa Mungu defected at a Museveni rally in Gulu City, citing frustration with what he described as a lack of a clear youth empowerment agenda within the opposition party, as well as repeated arrests and detentions.
In Lamwo District, 159 former NUP members also crossed to NRM during the President’s northern Uganda tour.
In Eastern Uganda, more than 200 NUP supporters from fishing communities in Bugiri and Mayuge districts joined NRM under the “Abavubi Ku Museveni” mobilisation drive in late October.
The momentum has since shifted strongly to Western Uganda. In late November, key NUP mobilisers in the Kigezi sub-region reportedly realigned with NRM during government sensitisation meetings.
Days later, dramatic defections were witnessed in Ntungamo District, where former NUP parliamentary aspirants Oscar Kamugira Twinemanzi and Guard Kamaradi crossed over at a Museveni rally, alongside a Forum for Democratic Change (FDC) supporter.
December has seen an acceleration of the trend. Two unnamed NUP parliamentary candidates reportedly withdrew from their races earlier this month, creating gaps in the party’s mobilisation structures. In Fort Portal Tourism City and Kabarole District, additional NUP aspirants followed suit.
In Hoima City, Allan Clifford Tugume, the NUP flag bearer for Bugahya County, publicly withdrew from the parliamentary contest and defected to NRM at Museveni’s rally at Hoima Boma Grounds. Tugume said his decision was influenced by personal considerations and engagement with senior NRM leaders, including Speaker Among.
Most recently, over 20 NUP supporters in Isingiro North crossed to NRM following a rally addressed by State Minister for Animal Industry Bright Rwamirama, while Asingwire’s defection in Kagadi capped a week marked by multiple high-profile exits from the opposition.
Defectors have cited a range of reasons, including dissatisfaction with NUP’s internal organisation, lack of clarity on long-term development plans, personal security concerns, and appreciation of government programs in areas such as infrastructure, agriculture and youth livelihoods.
NRM leaders have actively used campaign rallies as platforms to receive defectors, framing the crossovers as endorsements of the ruling party’s record and vision.
Speaker Among, in particular, has been at the forefront of welcoming former opposition members, describing the defections as a sign of growing national unity.
While NUP officials have acknowledged the defections, party leaders maintain that the party retains strong grassroots and youth support and accuse the ruling party of leveraging state power to weaken the opposition.
Key Reported Defections (Cumulative Estimates)
| Period/Event | Reported Number | Details/Source |
|---|---|---|
| September 2025 (Kampala youth, pre-nomination) | 2,000–3,000+ | Mass youth defection events in Kampala divisions; figures vary between sources (e.g., over 2,000 or 3,000 youth handing in NUP cards). |
| October 2025 (Moyo rally) | 64 | NUP members welcomed by Museveni at Celecelea Stadium rally. |
| October 2025 (Acholi/Northern Uganda, Gulu/Amuru) | ~916–1,000+ | Large group from Gulu City/District (916) plus Amuru (117 opposition, mostly NUP); includes coordinator Brian Jakisa Mungu. |
| October 2025 (Bugiri/Mayuge fishing communities) | 200+ | Under “Abavubi Ku Museveni” drive. |
| November 2025 (Kigezi sub-region) | 100+ | Top mobilizers from Kabale, Rubanda, Kisoro. |
| December 2025 (Tooro/Fort Portal/Kabarole) | <10–20 | Parliamentary/mayoral aspirants and supporters; NUP downplayed as minimal. |
| December 2025 (Hoima/Bugahya County) | 1 (high-profile) + 53 youth | Allan Clifford Tugume (flagbearer) + youth group. |
| December 2025 (Kagadi/Buyaga East) | 1 (high-profile) | Brian Asingwire (chairperson/flagbearer). |
| December 2025 (Isingiro North) | 20+ | Local supporters. |
| December 2025 (Mbarara City North) | 1 (high-profile) + 500+ | Peter Mpaka (flagbearer) with foot soldiers. |
| Other scattered (Ntungamo, etc.) | Dozens (individuals/groups) | High-profile candidates like Oscar Kamugira, Guard Kamaradi. |
Rough Aggregate (GROK)
- Low-end estimate (verified named/group reports): Several hundred (focusing on October–December rally-specific defections: ~1,500–2,000).
- High-end estimate (including September mass youth events): Over 4,000–5,000 (adding the 2,000–3,000 Kampala youth, which some sources tie to early campaign momentum).
