A fierce political battle over power and influence in Kabale has led to a sudden change of decisions by the Kabale Municipal Town Clerk, Kassajja Jamiilu Kaiiru, who has reversed his earlier stance and cleared the National Resistance Movement (NRM) to use Kabale Municipal Stadium for the 39th Liberation Day celebrations on 25th and 26th January 2025.
This dramatic shift comes amid tensions between local NRM leaders vying for power and authority, with the stadium becoming the center of a deeper political rivalry.
Initially, on January 8, 2025, Town Clerk Kassajja had confirmed that the Kabale Football Association (KFA) would use the stadium, after their request was submitted in December 2024. The NRM Youth League’s request for the same date was denied, citing the venue’s prior booking. The NRM was advised to find an alternative venue.
However, this decision sparked a political uproar, leading to an emergency meeting among Kabale NRM leaders.
The group insisted on holding the event at the stadium, which they argue holds historical significance, as it is where three members of the Front for National Salvation (FRONASA)—Joseph Bitwari, James Karambuzi, and David Kangire—were executed in the struggle for Uganda’s liberation.
The political pressure grew, with the Permanent Secretary for Local Government, Ben Kumumanya, stepping in to ensure the NRM’s event would proceed at the stadium. His intervention led to Kassajja reversing his earlier decision on January 22, 2025, citing directives from the Resident District Commissioner (RDC).
But this is not just a battle over a venue. The stadium dispute is part of a broader political rivalry in Kabale, with NRM leaders competing for key positions.
David Bahati, the NRM Chairman for Kabale and Minister for Trade and Cooperatives, is facing off against former Kabale Municipality MP, Andrew Ajja Baryayanga, for the NRM party post. Bahati’s strategic use of the stadium to hold a football tournament on the same date as Baryayanga’s event is seen as an attempt to undermine his rival’s influence.
Simultaneously, Sheikh Kassim, NRM Party Youth league Chairman for Kabale and a Kabale Municipality MP hopeful, is positioning himself for power. Kassim, who is also allegedly seeking the position of NRM Deputy Chairman for Kabale District, has allied with Bahati in a bid to consolidate control over Kabale NRM Party leadership.
This saga, which began as a dispute over the stadium, has revealed the fierce political competition for leadership in Kabale, with both national and local implications.
The Town Clerk’s reversal is not a response to urgency but a direct result of political pressure and the ongoing power struggle within the NRM ranks. Aja is yet to make a statement over bleach of contract by Kabale Municipal Council.
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