Busoga, Uganda: Mixed reactions have engulfed the Busoga sub-region following Rebecca Kadaga’s humiliating defeat to Speaker of Parliament, Rt Hon Anita Among in the race for the position of national vice chairperson (female) on the NRM Central Executive Committee (CEC).
Rt Hon Among secured a landslide win with 11,680 votes (92.8%) against Kadaga’s 902 (7.2%) out of 12,582 delegates who cast their ballots, effectively ending Kadaga’s quest to retain the powerful NRM slot she had held since 2010.
The contest exposed sharp divisions across Busoga, where Kadaga hails from, and Teso, where Among enjoys strong backing through her marriage to FUFA president and Budiope East MP Moses Magogo.
In Busoga, the battle was symbolised by two rival camps: “Team Mama” (Kadaga’s loyalists) and “Team Mulamu” (Among’s backers). Results from the region reflected this split. Kadaga dominated Kamuli (119-16), Luuka (52-8), Mayuge (46-19), Bugweri (34-23), Namutumba (55-22), Jinja City (44-31), and Jinja District (28-15). Among, meanwhile, swept Buyende (69-9), Kaliro (75-7), Namayingo (67-3), Iganga (58-39), and Bugiri (96-19).
Overall, Among edged Kadaga in the Busoga sub-region by 499 votes to 455, cementing her nationwide victory.
Mixed Reactions
Kadaga’s defeat has sparked frustration among her loyalists, many of whom feel betrayed. “This exposes the divisions within Busoga, with electorates failing to rally behind their own,” said Asuman Ngobi, an NRM mobiliser in Jinja City.
Ramallah Mbeiza, a political commentator, argued that Busoga has a history of undermining its own leaders. “Battles against sub-regional leaders have curtailed young, promising leaders from fully engaging and contributing to Busoga’s growth,” she noted.
Bugweri Woman MP Rachel Magoola praised delegates who remained loyal to Kadaga. “I hail the people of Bugweri and other Busoga delegates for maintaining their support. In doing so, you demonstrated unity in diversity,” she said.
However, some leaders believe Kadaga’s loss is a signal for transition.
Charles Mpalabule, speaker of Kamuli District Local Government, said Among’s possible re-election as Speaker of Parliament gives her greater lobbying power than Kadaga’s current government position. “Kadaga’s contributions are undeniable, but new minds are needed to address today’s challenges,” he said.
Kadaga had earlier questioned the credibility of the election, accusing Among’s team of bribing delegates with money, iPads, and mobile phones, and using fake delegate lists. She appealed to President Museveni, the NRM national chairman, to guarantee transparency.
Among, on her part, pledged to foster unity within NRM and praised Museveni for entrusting her with leadership opportunities.
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