Joyce Bagala, who has had a tumultuous relationship with the National Unity Platform (NUP), has confirmed that she intends to stand on the party ticket in 2026.
The Mityana Woman MP told Bbeg Media she had already picked the party’s nomination forms earlier this month.
“I picked them up, and I intend to return them to the party soon,” she said.
(WATCH JOYCE BAGALA’S INTERVIEW WITH BBEG MEDIA BELOW)
Over the past couple of years, a section of NUP leaders has led a smear campaign against Bagala, accusing her of closely associating with Mathias Mpuuga, the former Leader of the Opposition who fell out with the party. Her infrequent attendance at party meetings has not helped matters.
As a result, it was widely anticipated that NUP would deny Bagala its ticket for the 2026 elections. However, the party appears to be in a dilemma regarding her candidacy.
As we reported in April, Bagala remains a formidable figure in Mityana, and some believe she is NUP’s best chance to defeat the National Resistance Movement’s (NRM) Judith Nabakooba, who has deep pockets and is already mobilizing at the grassroots.
To follow Mpuuga or bow to NUP: Joyce Bagala’s dilemma ahead of 2026
There are concerns that replacing Bagala with an untested candidate could risk handing the seat to the NRM, a scenario NUP can ill afford as it seeks to consolidate its gains from the 2021 elections.
