Fact Check: Has Segona threatened to leave NUP?

NUP Party President Kyagulanyi Sentamu Robert(Bobi Wine) with Medard Lubega Ssegona.

A recent article published by Explorer Uganda on September 15, 2025, titled "MP Ssegona Threatens to Leave NUP as Vetting Raises Claims of Bias and Corruption," alleges internal turmoil within the National Unity Platform (NUP). It claims that Busiro East MP Medard Ssegona, after undergoing vetting for the party's 2026 parliamentary nomination, expressed deep dissatisfaction with the process. Specifically, the article quotes Ssegona refusing to provide bank statements due to suspicions of bribery demands by the Election Management Committee (EMC).

The article further states that he threatened to defect to the Democratic Front (DF) if not nominated, and accusing the EMC of favoring his rival, Kyengera Municipality Mayor Mathias Walukaga.

These claims, if true, would signal significant fractures in NUP ahead of the elections. But are they substantiated?

Our Verdict

There is no verifiable evidence from any credible sources supporting the claim of Ssegona's alleged defection threats, bribery suspicions, or personal attacks on Walukaga related to that session. The specific quotes and details appear exclusive to Explorer Uganda, a non-established outlet prone to sensational reporting, without corroboration from trusted media, videos, or official statements.

The Evidence

We investigated by cross-referencing the claims with reports from verified Ugandan media outlets, the Daily Monitor, New Vision, Nile Post and The Observer. We also looked at X (formerly Twitter) posts from journalists and media handles, and available videos from September 15-16, 2025. Here's what we found:

• Multiple sources verify that NUP's EMC started vetting parliamentary aspirants on September 15 and will continue until September 21, with a two-tier system (40% interviews, 60% grassroots assessments). New Vision reported the event as routine, focusing on regional scheduling for Wakiso candidates like those from Busiro East. Daily Monitor noted that aspirants, including Ssegona's challenger Emmanuel Matovu, praised the process as "transparent." No mentions of disruptions, bribery, or unequal treatment.

  
  

• Photos from NBS Television's X account show Ssegona and Walukaga at the party headquarters. A 2:48-minute video from BBS TEREFAYINA posted September 15 shows Ssegona speaking post-vetting in Luganda: "Oyinza okuba tomwagala naye omwetaaga" (translated: "You may not like me, but you still need me in NUP"). This indicates some frustration but asserts his value to the party. There were no defection threats, bank statement refusals, or DF mentions in this video. The Kampala Journal echoed this quote on X, with a photo, but nothing escalates to the article's claims. Earlier reports, like Nile Post (July 27, 2025), show Ssegona defending the vetting as a "test of leadership," and Matooke Republic (June 16, 2025) confirmed he quashed defection rumours months ago.

  
  

• Searches yielded zero references to bank statements, pre-decided fates, or Walukaga's "brief" vetting in trusted outlets. Ssegona's alleged elitist remarks belittling musicians are absent; while he has a legal background and Walukaga is a known Kadongo Kamu artist (per Nile Post, 2021), no such quotes appear. Walukaga provided no response in verified media—his X account and related posts are silent on the issue.

  
  

• General scrutiny of NUP vetting is real, with prior local government rounds (July-August 2025) facing fairness complaints, as noted by The Observer. Aspirants like Latif Ssebagala (Nile Post, September 14) criticised the process and opted to run independently, and Winifred Nakandi withdrew, citing irregularities (Daily Express, September 11). However, these are unrelated to Busiro East or September 15 specifics. No evidence ties bribery or bias directly to Ssegona's session.

Explorer Uganda's article stands alone in these details, with X shares linking back to it but adding no new proof.

Why This Matters

Some news outlets often amplify unverified rumours to generate clicks, contributing to misinformation that erodes trust in political parties during sensitive election periods. Such stories can inflame divisions, mislead voters, and distract from real issues like the ongoing vetting's transparency. In Uganda's polarised media landscape, sensational claims without evidence risk polarising public discourse and undermining democratic processes.

This fact-check is based on publicly available information as of September 16, 2025.