Could Uganda’s opposition be gearing up for one of its boldest moves yet? Former Leader of the Opposition in Parliament, Winnie Kiiza, believes it’s time for a major rethink—one that could reshape how political battles are fought beyond the ballot box. Her message to opposition parties is clear: stop obsessing over election figures and start planning strategic political moves. And if a presidential election is ever disputed again, Kiiza says, they should even consider boycotting Parliament altogether.
But here’s where it gets interesting—and controversial. Kiiza accused the ruling government of manipulating optics by boasting about unopposed MPs as a show of strength. She urged the opposition to focus instead on genuine preparedness and unity should another contested election arise.
She posed a challenging question that left many thinking: if a presidential race were unfairly decided, how many opposition MPs would have the courage to boycott Parliament in protest? It’s a move that could send shockwaves through Uganda’s political system—but only if done collectively.
Drawing on history, Kiiza mentioned former Kasese MP Dr. Crispus Kiyonga, who took the bold step of boycotting parliamentary proceedings decades ago. Her pointed remark—“How many Dr. Crispus Kiyongas do we have in the opposition today?”—served as both a challenge and a test of conviction for current leaders.
Reflecting on her own experience, Kiiza admitted that while such tough discussions had occurred within the Forum for Democratic Change (FDC) before, the opposition often struggled to follow through. “We’ve had these hard conversations in FDC many times, but truthfully, we were rarely ready to act,” she confessed.
Her comments come at a critical moment, as Uganda’s political parties ramp up mobilisation efforts ahead of the 2026 general election. Questions of electoral fairness remain front and centre, shaping the tone and strategy of opposition messaging across the country.
Interestingly, Kiiza did not name which opposition parties might have the resolve to execute such a parliamentary boycott—and so far, no political group has publicly responded to her call.
Could her challenge spark a new era of opposition unity, or will it expose deep divisions within Uganda’s political landscape? Should boycotts become a legitimate form of resistance in a disputed democracy, or would they simply weaken the institutions that hold power to account? The debate is open—what do you think?
