Nambooze Collapses, Hospitalized After Bobi Wine Reveals She Won’t Get NUP Ticket

ExplorerSept 22, 2025Read original

Mukono Municipality Member of Parliament Betty Nambooze Bakireke collapsed and is currently hospitalized after a closed-door meeting with the National Unity Platform (NUP) president, Robert Kyagulanyi, popularly known as Bobi Wine.

According to sources privy to the details of the meeting, the discussion turned tense when Kyagulanyi informed the long-serving legislator that she would not be offered the NUP flag to contest for the Mukono seat in the upcoming elections. The NUP president reportedly stood firm on a new party principle of leadership renewal.

An insider, who spoke on condition of anonymity, stated, “Bobi Wine told her openly that NUP has to lead by example. He argued that the party cannot credibly fight President Museveni for overstaying in power while tolerating the same within its ranks. He told Nambooze that she has overstayed in Parliament and it was high time she practised what she preaches.”

The news is said to have been a devastating blow to the MP. Reports indicate that after pleading unsuccessfully for Kyagulanyi to reconsider, Nambooze began to lose her breath and subsequently collapsed. She was rushed to a hospital for emergency medical attention and has been admitted since.

However, the dramatic event has been met with significant scepticism from many familiar with the MP’s political history. Long-time observers in Mukono were quick to label the collapse as “political theatrics”, accusing Nambooze of employing her usual strategy to win sympathy votes.

“Those are her normal theatrics; she has used them to fool Mukono people for over 20 years,” remarked one local political analyst. “As an MP, her performance has always been below average, but she has consistently played the victim and sympathy card to win elections. She is known for faking illnesses and walking on crutches even when she is clearly not ill.”

Critics allege that with elections drawing nearer and her position within the party under threat, Nambooze has resorted to her old tactics. They claim that by locking herself in a hospital, she is attempting to emotionally blackmail Bobi Wine into granting her the party ticket and to sway Mukono voters to support her out of pity.

As of press time, there has been no official statement from Nambooze’s family or her medical team regarding her condition. The NUP secretariat has also remained silent on the specifics of the meeting, only confirming that discussions regarding candidate selection are ongoing.