BREAKING!! 20,000 NUP Supporters Join NRM, Leaving Bobi Wine Heart Broken

President Yoweri Kaguta Museveni on Thursday welcomed a large group of former National Unity Platform (NUP) supporters into the ruling National Resistance Movement (NRM) at Kololo Ceremonial Grounds. He congratulated the young men and women for turning away from what he described as misleading opposition politics, saying they had “realized their mistakes” and earned his forgiveness.

The group, which reportedly grew from a small number of former prisoners into thousands, was courted into the NRM through efforts by the Ministry of Luwero and the Rwenzori Triangle. Minister of State for Luwero Triangle, Hon. Alice K. Kaboyo, presented a detailed account of their political transformation to President Museveni.

Minister Kaboyo revealed that a total of 20,000 young men and women, previously aligned with the NUP, had “returned home” to embrace the values of the ruling party. This included youth from Eastern, Northern, and Central Buganda, highlighting the wide geographic reach of the reintegration effort.

The Minister traced the transformation to a single act of presidential clemency. On May 12, 2021, a group of young people, described as having fallen into a “trap of deceit,” were arrested and convicted for violence and possession of explosives. Museveni’s forgiveness, Kaboyo said, offered them a second chance to rebuild their lives.

“Out of that forgiveness, something remarkable has happened,” the Minister said, explaining that the young men and women resolved to transform their lives through hard work and abandon what she called the “politics of destruction, deceit, and ignorance.”

The converts underwent rehabilitation at the National Leadership Institute in Kyankwanzi, where they committed themselves to peaceful development and social responsibility. Kaboyo described their decision as a testament to the President’s “fatherly leadership” and his enduring vision of national unity.

A key mechanism for their reintegration was the formation of the NRM Cadres 2025 Bali Bali SACCO. This cooperative is designed to help the former prisoners improve their livelihoods and actively promote the “gospel of truth, unity, and development” to others who are yet to join the ruling party.

Minister Kaboyo commended key NRM cadres, including Kwizera, RDC Mbabazi, Mbazira, and Col Nsamba Paul, for their efforts in achieving this large-scale reintegration. She likened the returnees to the biblical Parable of the Prodigal Son, emphasizing that “no Ugandan is beyond redemption” with the right guidance.

The event also recognized the Uganda Taxi Operators Federation (UTOF), representing about 15,000 taxi operators. Kaboyo praised their long-standing support of the NRM and encouraged their continued participation in socio-economic development initiatives.

President Museveni again congratulated the former prisoners, warning that some opposition leaders misguide young people into dangerous paths. He encouraged the converts to focus on government initiatives in health, education, and wealth creation, while describing the current opposition as having “nothing to offer.” He urged the youth to take full advantage of programs aimed at improving both personal and national development.