John Baptist Nambeshe has once again been entrusted with leading the National Unity Platform (NUP), after party president Robert Kyagulanyi Ssentamu, popularly known as Bobi Wine, appointed him acting president.
The appointment, announced on Saturday, follows the end of Dr Lina Zedriga Waru’s four-month tenure as acting president and places the Deputy President for Eastern Uganda at the helm of the country’s largest opposition party in Parliament.
For Nambeshe, the latest assignment is another milestone in a political career that has carried him from local government leadership in Bududa District to Parliament and into the senior ranks of the National Unity Platform.
His appointment also comes as Kyagulanyi remains outside Uganda following the January 2026 presidential election.
According to the party leader, he travelled abroad for engagements after the election while continuing to monitor political developments in Uganda.
During that period, the party has relied on senior leaders to oversee its day-to-day affairs.
Dr Lina Zedriga Waru, the Deputy President for Northern Uganda, has held the responsibility over the past four months before handing over to Nambeshe.
In announcing the transition, Kyagulanyi praised her stewardship of the party. “For four months, Dr Lina Zedriga Waru has been acting President of our Party. During this period, she has steered the party well and kept the revolution alive. We’re all very grateful for her dedication and service.”
He then confirmed that Nambeshe would assume the role. “As her tenure comes to an end, I am pleased to announce that Hon. John Baptist Nambeshe, Deputy President Eastern Region, will be taking over as acting President of the National Unity Platform. I wish him well and request all leaders and comrades to accord him the necessary support.”
Born on November 24, 1965, in Manjiya County, Bududa District, Nambeshe began his professional life outside elective politics.
He first worked as a teacher at Bududa Secondary School before later serving as a laboratory technician at Jinja College.
He went on to study local governance and human rights at Uganda Martyrs University before earning a Master’s degree in Social Sector Planning and Management from Makerere University.
His entry into politics came through local government. In 2006, he was elected LCIII Chairperson of Bududa Town Council.
Five years later, he was elected LC5 Chairperson of Bududa District, further building his experience in public administration.
Nambeshe entered Parliament in 2016 after winning the Manjiya County parliamentary seat on the National Resistance Movement (NRM) ticket.
As an NRM legislator, he served on parliamentary committees responsible for national economy and natural resources.
His political direction changed in 2017 when he opposed the removal of the presidential age limit.
In 2020, he left the ruling party and joined the National Unity Platform ahead of the 2021 General Election.
The move saw him become one of the senior politicians to cross from the NRM to the opposition. He retained his parliamentary seat under the NUP banner in 2021.
Following the election, he was appointed Opposition Chief Whip after NUP emerged as the largest opposition party in the 11th Parliament.
Within the party, he has since risen to serve as Deputy President for Eastern Uganda. This is also not the first time he has served as acting president.
He previously held the same responsibility during one of Kyagulanyi’s international trips in 2021.
His latest appointment means he will once again oversee the party’s daily operations.
The decision reflects the party’s continued reliance on senior leaders to maintain its leadership structure while Kyagulanyi remains away.
The transition also represents another chapter in Nambeshe’s political journey, which spans education, local government, Parliament and opposition leadership.
For now, Nambeshe will oversee the National Unity Platform’s daily operations as acting president. The party has not announced how long he will remain in the position.
It has also not outlined any additional responsibilities beyond the day-to-day management of party affairs.
Similarly, Robert Kyagulanyi has not announced when he will return to Uganda, and no further leadership changes have been confirmed.
The appointment of John Baptist Nambeshe reinforces his position among the National Unity Platform’s senior leaders after years of service in local government, Parliament and the opposition.
As he takes charge of the party’s daily operations, he succeeds Dr Lina Zedriga Waru in an acting capacity while Robert Kyagulanyi remains abroad, with the duration of the arrangement yet to be announced.
