Over the weekend, reports emerged of a faction within the National Unity Platform (NUP) Party crossing over to the Patriotic League of Uganda (PLU), a pressure group allied with Gen Muhoozi Kainerugaba.

Initially, the party members arrived peacefully, and Kimaanya Kabonera Division Mayor Steven Lukyamuzi read a document indicating their loyalty to Party President Robert Kyagulanyi Ssentamu.

“We shall continue paying allegiance to our President Robert Kyagulanyi Ssentamu,” Lukyamuzi quoted from the written statement.

The document also dismissed any claims of the party crossing over to the PLU as false. However, trouble started when Lukyamuzi claimed that no members had crossed over. One of the youth leaders grabbed Lukyamuzi's document and tore it, leading to chaos.

The police intervened with tear gas to disperse the meeting when NUP members insisted on staying. Some arrests were made.

“They got misunderstanding from the meeting, where one of the members got the document being read and tore it. The tear gas came in because of the misunderstanding between the two groups from the National Unity Platform,” explained Twaha Kasirye, Police Spokesman.

Amid the chaos, Masaka Mayor Florence Namayanja declared her determination to continue fighting for the rights of her residents, insisting that the matter was not over. She led a procession around Masaka town, with songs praising the NUP.

The development has raised concerns that Namayanja is seeking to unseat Mpuuga in the upcoming election. Only time will tell how this situation will be resolved.