Buikwe, Uganda: A long-running political standoff that had fractured the National Resistance Movement (NRM) in Buikwe District has finally been resolved, following a reconciliation between State Minister Hon. Diana Mutasingwa and District NRM Chairperson Charles Kalangwa.
The truce, mediated by NRM Vice Chairman for Buganda, Haruna Kyeyune Kasolo, marks a major turning point for the ruling party, which has struggled to regain control of key constituencies lost to the opposition in the last election.
The bitter feud between the duo traces back to the party’s internal elections, where Minister Mutasingwa openly supported Njeru Mayor Yasin Kyazze, popularly known as Sitya Loss, against Kalangwa. When Kalangwa won the district chairmanship, tensions deepened instead of subsiding, creating rival factions within Buikwe NRM.
The internal division split the party’s local leadership, forcing flag bearers to align with either Mutasingwa or Kalangwa, a split that weakened the NRM’s mobilization efforts and cost it crucial political ground.
The Road to Reconciliation
Recognizing the threat the rift posed to NRM’s dominance in the district, Haruna Kasolo convened reconciliation meetings, starting with a closed-door session at Nile Hotel in Njeru, followed by a broader dialogue in Kampala.
The Kampala meeting brought together Mutasingwa, Kalangwa, and other influential figures, including Isaac Sozzi (Lugazi Municipality MP flag bearer), Kabuye Badru (Njeru Municipality), David Mutebi (Buikwe South), and Mayor Yasin Kyazze, whose earlier contest sparked the divisions.
In a strong show of solidarity, both Mutasingwa and Kalangwa agreed to bury their differences and focus on strengthening the party’s grassroots structures ahead of 2026.
“The party’s interests outweigh our personal interests,” Minister Mutasingwa declared. “We must put our differences aside and work together to ensure NRM wins all positions in Buikwe. Today marks a new chapter.”
Mediator Haruna Kasolo commended both camps for their maturity and commitment to peace, pledging full party support for renewed mobilization efforts across the district.
The reconciliation comes at a crucial time for the NRM, which once dominated Buikwe politics. In 2016, the party held all three constituencies and the Woman MP seat. However, a resurgent opposition wave in the last general election left only Mutasingwa holding an NRM flag in Parliament.
With the two most influential figures now united, analysts say the ruling party’s chances of reclaiming Buikwe are high, especially given emerging opposition disunity across Buganda. The party hopes that renewed unity and coordinated mobilization will help it “reclaim lost ground” and restore full control of the district.
If you would like your article/opinion to be published on Uganda’s most authoritative news platform, send your submission on: [email protected]. You can also follow DailyExpress on WhatsApp and on Twitter (X) for realtime updates.
