By Spy Uganda
The top leadership of National Association of Broadcasters (NAB) has tactfully steered clear of aligning itself with Mathias Mpuuga’s newly formed Democratic Alliance (DA), declining a request for a meeting aimed at securing media support. Mpuuga, the former Leader of Opposition and current National Coordinator of DA, wrote to NAB on February 19, 2025, seeking dialogue on electoral reforms and governance transition. However, more than two weeks later, his letter has been met with silence, a move that insiders say is intentional.
In his letter addressed to NAB’s Chairman Dr.Innocent Nahabwe, Mpuuga stated thus; “We at the Democratic Alliance are involved in intense consultations with key stakeholders on the best way out of the current governance impasse and resolution of long-standing questions in our country. Our meeting is aimed at seeking your views on historically unresolved questions and emerging issues that need redress, and it is our humble request in this regard that you confirm meeting at a date of your earliest convenience.”
However, in an exclusive meeting held last week at Torino Bar in Kololo, NAB’s executive committee (EXCO) unanimously agreed that engaging with a single political pressure group, especially in the pre-election period, would be politically dangerous.
Why NAB Refused to Meet Mpuuga
According to insiders privy to the discussions, NAB members expressed concerns that meeting DA team would be interpreted as Media endorsement by other parties and this could compromise their neutrality.
One executive member was overheard saying, “If we meet one political group, others will interpret it as favoritism. In the past, we only met political parties under the arrangement of a foreign-funded program that ensured all parties were heard. This is different.”
Additionally, some NAB members reportedly pointed to Mpuuga’s recent political baggage, particularly the controversial UGX 500 million handshake scandal that rocked the National Unity Platform (NUP).
In 2023, Mpuuga was accused of receiving the money as an alleged “service award” during his tenure as Leader of Opposition. The revelation led to internal party conflicts, with NUP’s leadership, including Robert Kyagulanyi (Bobi Wine), publicly calling him out for betraying the party’s values. The fallout saw Mpuuga demoted from his leadership position in Parliament, although he later defended himself, insisting that the money was legally approved.
One NAB member reportedly quipped, “We already have enough battles to fight with Gen. Muhoozi going after the media. We can’t afford to entangle ourselves in another political war, we already have enough on our plate,”. This remark underscores the media industry’s ongoing tensions with powerful political figures, further diminishing Mpuuga’s chances of securing NAB’s backing.
Mpuuga’s Political Troubles and Democratic Alliance’s Future
Mpuuga’s strained relationship with NUP has fueled speculation that the Democratic Alliance is a vehicle for his political survival, possibly as a breakaway faction from NUP. However, without major political backing, his ability to influence national politics remains uncertain. NAB’s refusal to engage with DA signals a broader challenge—Mpuuga may struggle to secure mainstream media attention without institutional support.
With NAB turning its back on Mpuuga’s DA, the question remains—will he manage to rally the media and the public behind his cause, or is he headed for political obscurity?
