“He is undisplaced. A distinguished legislator in the country. Just like in modern era and technology; he is the one who has made it in governance in the society,” Ivan Okuda a lawyer also a prolific journalist said about the Nyendo/ Mukungwe Member of Parliament and Leader of opposition in Parliament Mathias Mpuuga.
Mpuuga has been involved in a lot of ground-breaking and law creating litigation that has significantly contributed to the evolution of jurisdiction and legislative works in the ninth, tenth and the 11th parliament.
Mpuuga is one of the few legislators in the 11th parliament who have seen it all as far as the political dynamics of the country are concerned.
Mpuuga has over the 13 years as Member of Parliament for Masaka Municipality (now Nyendo/Mukungwe Constituency) developed expertise in the areas of corporate and commercial litigation, mediation and arbitration in all corners of the conundrum of Uganda’s politics.
The soldier-on approach and Walk to Work changed into the Talk to Work due to his prowess in political philology which Mr. Okuda says has been a work in making ever since Mpuuga graduated at Makerere University as Law student.
” I saw him at Makerere University during our lectures. He was an intelligent and informed chap and his rise to stardom in the political arena isn’t a beaming suprise to me,” shared Okuda during an exclusive interview at Infinity restaurant in Ntinda.
In the sense of National Unity Platform (NUP), Mpuuga has numbers and as opposition they’re destined to do more and make the government get them serious and listen to them seriously.
” He is a good and descent man and not petty. He doesn’t have airs and respect and represent everyone in the society and on whose toes you can step and move on,” added Okuda.
According to Okuda, the Leader of Opposition has established a unique culture of leadership in the eleventh parliament and one of his major political ideology is not to show off in public.
”By the virtue of time, he has been involved in a lot of political struggles and fits well in the house of Parliament. Every constituency is an apologetically pragmatic and he has the basis of knowledge of his consistency a huge milestone and a credit to him,” added Okuda.
” He is adjustable in making and settling woes in the parliament and different leaders despite their differences in politic beliefs and constituencies,” he observed.
Mpuuga born on October, 12, 1975 has seen achievements politically and socially and can be seen by many only that his fears, failures and expectations can be termed as a ‘Thirteen Years’ experience in parliament a common experience ever since he stood on the podium as leader of opposition too.
A political antagonist, academia, lawyer and the lover of culture and sports development, Mpuuga by nature remains a formidable creature and figure in opposition since the days of late Paul Ssemwogerere.
At the parliament, Mpuuga is fit like a fiddle to articulate matters of national interest and being an educationist; schools and universities have all realised his impact.
The gigantic Nyendo- Mukungwe Member of Parliament has served the parliament with a lot of dedication and expertise.
Mpuuga is talking with a low tone on the subject of his journey as a raw youth who grew from nuts to become a formidable figure in the political arena.
The sun is shining; the sky is a deep blue and there is a lovely breeze as Masaka’s political face Mpuuga starts talking, freedom, development and achievements for the people he represents in Nyendo- Mukungwe Constituency.
Mpuuga is positively melting with his humble beginnings as a legislator.
He is one of the few politicians who have conversely achieved it all as a legislator and most of his injustice political drive such as Black Monday helped in fine-tuning the political status of Uganda’s dictatorship governance.
In his black suit, Mpuuga grabs a glass of cocktail juice as he cools the throat. He talks of how he has managed to lead a team of leaders in Masaka City without compromising and segregating anyone.
In a low tone, Mpuuga says that politics is one the difficult obligations people can do but when one executes it beyond everyone’s expectations, he or she must be credited.
Years seem to have passed, money seems to have been spent and yet still, voters themselves haven’t disappointed Mpuuga’s quest for sovereignty on the whelms of Masaka City’s growth.
The question of who could replace him by the time of the coming elections remains in contention.
“He is the only leader of opposition ever in field and formidable in networking,” said; Paul Baale Mukasa; a political observer in Masaka City.
“He has balanced the debate in the parliament and ever informative, relevant and innovative yet still ever on the ground,” added Mukasa saying Mpuuga has laid a huge land mark in the history of Uganda’s politics.
Mpuuga is remarkably credited for fueling Masaka Municipality to Masaka City status under the watchful and voice of change from Kabaka of Buganda Ronald Muwenda Mutebi.
It is no crime to say that Mpuuga has done well to exercise his duties as the legislator and obviously his personal side as a father with children at his home in the Soweto suburbs in Masaka City.
“The level of expertise in parliament when compared to that of the Speaker Anita Among and Thomas Tayebwa the deputy is still low and it has made Mpuuga a lion of settling disputes within the parliament,” added Mukasa.
He has performed the legislature role as a service under the watchful eye of Buganda’s Kingdom.
Mpuuga has done well in developing Masaka City and the introduction of CBS PEWOSA initiative has conversely suppressed poverty within the locals in Masaka City.
“I think if we’re to talk of development as Masaka City we have made it. The few major phenomena is to see our people employed, children educated and leaders executing their political obligations wholly,” he shared.
At 47, Mpuuga can imagine the consequences and the thrilling journey it has been ever since he rose into the parliament.
He remains one of the few legislators in the Eleventh Parliament who have witnessed air battles between the law makers and president Museveni himself.
Mpuuga is relatively warm to share that being the Member of Parliament calls for a lot of acquaintances and one of them are; dedication, robbing and proper representing the interests of people in the parliament.
The fallacy that a legislator’s major role is to represent the constituencies and readily available to all communal functions according to him it’s wrong.
“The role of a parliamentarian is huge. Not always that your wishes and plans will be met but for a learned person like me, I must listen to every concern filed in my office,” he shares.
Mpuuga’s motive was to study and get a good job and that was perhaps when he would begin to think of establishing himself as a man whose livelihood and status should much his family dream.
“We grew up in a family where mostly we depended on coffee to get money for home use, school fees and solely working closely and at peace as a family helped us grow, materially and spiritually,” Mpuuga shares before his phone momentarily rings.
For the present, Mpuuga is not worried whatsoever. The dream of his family to see him growing from a raw school boy from Kyamaganda Boys Primary School has been conversely met.
Born to the late Vincent Nsamba and Getrude Nanyondo residents of Nakawanga Village, Lwengo, Mpuuga has raised the flag of the National Unity Platform thereby working closely with Kyagulanyi Ssentamu as the party president.
Lots of things have happened. Mpuuga says as a little boy, he grew up admiring being a journalist and fortunately he practiced it lowly only to fall for politics as a living servant.
Mpuuga’s fairytale story in Uganda’s politics can be tagged higher by the time he took on the mantle to initiate Black Monday as they quested for Change in leadership in Uganda.
“At home, they knew that they had love and spirit to be a leader. So, from then on, we had to set our future ambitions higher and open and today we’ve achieved it,” he says.
Sometimes in a flash, Mpuuga says that emerging victorious in 2012 as Masaka Municipality Member of Parliament came with pleasures and problems.
“Quite honestly, all we needed was a Change back then as Democratic Party. But at the end after realizing that the party had slipped away from our agenda, many brilliant and ambitious political phillosophists had to vacate,” he adamantly shares.
Mpuuga says in politics one is happy when his or her people are happy with new developments and achievements.
“The rich can all be lost but happiness in the people you’re serving highly counts a lot,” he added.
One shining journey about his political journey is mentoring the youthful leaders both in and outside the National Unity Platform (NUP).
“We’ve done whatever it takes in the political arena. We have been bitten, seen blood flowing from our bodies and our people being killed. The corruption starting from the head of the state is obviously talked of everyday. I think we’ve a lot to tell and show our grandchildren,” he softly added.
By nature, Mpuuga has a great liking for history, art and culture. Even when he is talking, culture is one of the many things one can see mould throughout his ways and expressions.
A true creation of Buganda Kingdom, Mpuuga loves Kabaka Mutebi just like the way he cares about his fore ribs.
“There is no anything beautiful in the world than loving your King and serving your King. I’ve had the pleasure to do both. I’ve served and still serving my kingdom,” he astonishingly shared.
He is very cultural and the years he has been in the ebbs of Buganda Kingdom, Mpuuga has learnt the art of loving and serving people irrespective of their family background.
Even at the present, Mpuuga is still craving, longing and praying to serve Ugandans.
“The parliament is like a garden. If you don’t sow well and timely, you cannot succeed,” he shares.
Working day and night, serving people who are more positive than you’re to meet their political obligation is only full-filled by a Hero.
“I’ve done it. I’m doing it and we shall be doing it to ensure that the people we represent meet their desired goals,” he shares.
The parliament all together has connected him to the people and the people themselves have connected well with Mpuuga.
The close relationship and good working terms with Buganda’s King Ronald Mutebi 11 and the Buganda Kingdom’s premier Charles Peter Mayiga could as well be credited for his generosity ever since he served as the Buganda Kingdom youths leader at the age of 19.
He has believed in prosperity and good life which many can attribute to his personal traits in managing and planning for the people in his political circles.
The question of who will upbeat his socks and trounce him from power remains in contention as the few; Mukasa Mbidde to mention but a few tried and walked home in 2021 general elections with saddened hearts and disappointments.
It is this recurring work load that pushed the latter to become the National Unity Platform (NUP) Vice president under Robert Kyangulanyi.
“I don’t think that we’ve achieved as political revolutionists in Uganda. We’ve set our eyes clear to the man who came with nothing but belongs to everything in the country today. The fight is still on. Ugandans should be alerted,” he added.
Mpuuga’s long quest has always been invasion with liberation and freedom of expression for all Ugandans.
To this, he says that the mood has changed. The political arena has been broadened for the youths whom he strongly believes in.
“You cannot succeed when the majority of your cadres are gold guns. The only thing Ugandans should know is that leadership is now lessened in the hands of the young and fresh blood,” he as a rule shared.
Mpuuga says he prefers to work for genuine people with a long thirst to full-fill their dreams.
“Joining the National Unity Platform (NUP) was very timely. I saw a moving group of brilliant youths led by a rare and composed leader in Kyagulanyi and I am greatful to serve as the Vice- Chairperson of the Party. It attracted my political test,” he assuredly noted.
About the future, Mpuuga is not ready to sit home and wait for the future to unfold.
He ponders that they’ve worked for the future and are still working for it.
Away from politics, Mpuuga has used sports under Masaka City Football Team to create Unity among the youths.
To this; sports development only grew with the teamwork and establishment of required resources according to Mpuuga.
“When Masaka Local Council collapsed in 2015, I had to rally around and come up with a team in Masaka City because Masaka City needs a formidable team that can employ youths within,” said Mpuuga.
“The team is vastly talented. It has connected me politically and socially in the spheres of life. We need a little motivation and I know we shall reach our dream destination,” he added.
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