An excited crowd gathered at Nyendo-Butti parish in Nyendo-Mukungwe on January 8, 2026, as Mathias Mpuuga, the President of the Democratic Front (DF), addressed an overflowing open campaign rally.
The atmosphere was electric, with supporters flooding the area to hear Mpuuga and other party officials discuss their vision for the future and rally support for the upcoming elections.
Before making his way to Nyendo Parish for the main rally, Mpuuga visited several communities within his constituency. His day began in Mpugwe Town Council, where he engaged with constituents, emphasizing the importance of sustaining development achievements. He also met with members of Powesa SACCO at the bus park and held discussions with residents in Butende village, demonstrating his commitment to grassroots engagement.
As Mpuuga arrived at the Nyendo Butti rally, he was greeted with a warm welcome that reflected the enthusiasm and support from the local community. The gathering became a spectacular display of jubilation, demonstrating the strong backing for the DF and its leaders.
Mpuuga appeared visibly moved by the outpouring of support, setting the tone for a powerful campaign communication.
Joining Mpuuga on stage were notable party figures, including Masaka City MP Nakabuye Juliet Kakande and Dr. Abed Bwanika, the Kimaanya-Kabonera MP. Other party flag bearers, including local government aspirants Michael Mulindwa Nakumusana and Yiga Joseph, were also in attendance, further demonstrating the united front of the Democratic Front in Masaka.
The sheer size of the crowd motivated Dr. Abed Bwanika to boldly declare victory for Mpuuga, Kakande, and himself.
“Even if you go to a female witch doctor, this Mpuuga has already emerged a victor out of this race,” Bwanika proclaimed, drawing cheers from the audience.
“Let those who are in pain go and hung because Nyendo-Mukungwe has already taken a stand that Mpuuga is the next MP, and he will be voted together with Juliet Kakande as the Masaka City Woman MP, and in Kimaanya-Kabonera, there is no other MP, but yours truly.”
Bwanika continued with fervor, asserting, “there is no any other witches that can impede us from winning. If the pre-party looks like this, how about after the victory?”
His words echoed through the crowd, inspiring confidence among supporters about the prospects of the DF candidates.
As the rally progressed, Mpuuga took the stage to address the crowd directly, urging them to vote strategically and early on election day.
“Go early in the morning, cast your votes, and go out there to help the elderly to vote early,” he said emphatically, “we are not sure about what command Byabaka [Electoral Commission chairperson] gave to the Biometric Electoral Machines because I have spent the last 3 years making efforts to see us participate in programming those machines as opposition parties in parliament.”
Mpuuga elaborated on the potential risks associated with these voting machines, stating, “That machine is a computer which works on a command, and I am sure, the one who programmed it gave it a command and if it jams, voting stops there, and we do not have any other path,” he said, drawing concerned murmurs from some in the crowd but highlighted Mpuuga’s awareness of the political setting.
Furthering his call for reform, he explained the necessity of pushing for constitutional and electoral changes before the elections.
“I urged my peers [in opposition] that we should not allow those things before sitting and agree on the minimum agenda to demand before 2026 elections,” he noted.
Mpuuga’s reflections on previous election cycles underscored his frustration with the current political environment, as well as his commitment to instigating change.
“I informed my friends that we had done the same things four times while with Dr. Besigye, and we left elections while cursing ourselves,” he shared, “and the same things we did with my young brother Kyagulanyi in 2021. Museveni was never forced out of power, and it is the reason I asked my friends to make reforms.”
Mpuuga also highlighted his efforts as a parliamentarian, emphasizing a proactive approach to governance.
“I brought eight bills around constitutional and electoral reforms which would have increased our chances at winning presidency in 2026,” he revealed, “my friends just connived with the regime to fight them [reforms].”
In a final rallying cry to his supporters, Mpuuga expressed his intentions for the future.
“I am getting back to Parliament with a team of DF MPs, and so far, DF has 5 MPs,” he asserted, “you have been seeing me traversing the entire country because I have 88 candidates across the country.”
