The Mayor of Kira Municipality, Julius Mutebi, has accused a senior figure within the National Unity Platform (NUP) of attempting to solicit money from him during the party’s candidate vetting process.
Mutebi, who has now crossed to the People’s Front for Freedom (PFF) led by Kampala Lord Mayor Erias Lukwago, said he had hoped to retain his position as mayor under the NUP ticket but was unfairly denied the party’s endorsement.
Speaking on NBS Television’s Barometer programme, Mutebi alleged that an officer closely connected to the party leadership approached him with demands for payment in exchange for altering vetting results.
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“He came to me claiming the party president had sent a vetting team and showed me figures of how the tally stood among the three of us contesting for the mayoral flag,” Mutebi said. “He then asked me for one million shillings for each member of this so-called team to change the tally in my favour. I realised it was all fraudulent.”
The mayor argued that exposing such incidents was necessary if NUP was to strengthen its internal systems ahead of the 2026 general elections. He also criticised the party for failing to formally communicate its decision to deny him the ticket, saying he only learnt about it through media reports.
“I fulfilled all the requirements. I hold both a degree and a master’s, and I have strong support on the ground. I still don’t understand why I was denied the card,” he said.
Mutebi and lawyer Ivan Bwowe were on Tuesday formally welcomed into the PFF. His claims add to growing criticism over the transparency of NUP’s vetting process, with some members accusing the party of bribery and unfair practices.
NUP leaders, however, have consistently dismissed such allegations, maintaining that their candidate selection process is fair and transparent.
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