National Unity Platform (NUP) Secretary General, David Lewis Rubongoya, has stated that Ssentamu Churchill James, the Guild President of Makerere University and son of Fred Nyanzi, alias Chairman Nyanzi—Bobi Wine’s brother—is no longer a member of NUP, as his membership became invalid after he contested as an independent candidate following a loss in the party primaries.
Speaking on X Space (formerly Twitter), Rubongoya explained that the party’s constitution disqualifies any member who runs as an independent after losing in the primaries.
“The young man is no longer a member of NUP,” Rubongoya said, adding that he could not comment further on matters concerning a non-member.
Regarding the video of Nyanzi, the NUP Head of Mobilization, asking his son to apologize or even resign from his position as Guild President, Rubongoya clarified that Nyanzi was speaking in his personal capacity as a father.
“He was showing him that the person he was posing with in the photo has tried to kill me, your uncles, and other Ugandans. Nyanzi spoke as a father, not as a NUP leader,” Rubongoya said.
The now-infamous photo of Churchill with President Museveni and other student leaders was taken on Tuesday during the launch of Research and Innovations Week.
The photo went viral, attracting mixed reactions—some questioned why a nephew of opposition leader Bobi Wine would agree to share a photo moment with President Museveni.
Others, however, saw no issue with the photo, arguing that as Guild President, Churchill represents students—not NUP or his family—and the event was an official university function.
