Iganga, Uganda – In a move that has deepened fissures within Uganda’s ruling National Resistance Movement (NRM) and stirred widespread unease across the Busoga sub-region, Speaker of Parliament Anita Among reportedly extended an informal invitation to First Deputy Prime Minister Rebecca Kadaga for a key leaders’ convocation, treating the veteran politician with the casualness typically reserved for a Local Council 1 (LC1) chairperson.
The snub, revealed during President Yoweri Museveni’s address at a January 10 meeting in Iganga, exposed the escalating feud between Among and Kadaga and forced the President to publicly castigate the event’s organizers just days ahead of the January 15 presidential and parliamentary elections.
The convocation, intended to rally NRM leaders in Busoga and address the region’s economic challenges, instead highlighted the personal and political animosities plaguing the party. Addressing party flag bearers and supporters, Museveni expressed frustration over the absence of Kadaga and State Minister for Lands Persis Namuganza.
“Because of divisions in Busoga, Persis Namuganza is absent. I spoke to my sister Kadaga, who said she was not invited. I then asked Speaker Anita Among why Rebecca Kadaga was not invited,” Museveni said.
Among, who was present, reportedly responded that all NRM flag bearers had been invited. However, critics argue that the invitation to Kadaga—a towering figure in Busoga politics and a former Speaker of Parliament—was handled dismissively, through a mere phone call rather than formal channels.
Observers likened the approach to summoning a low-level LC1 chairman rather than a high-ranking national leader. One prominent religious leader questioned the move, saying that seeking cheap popularity in Busoga would never earn genuine respect, and wondered how a leader of Kadaga’s stature could be invited to a major meeting so casually, as if her attendance were optional.
The incident underscores a broader rivalry dating back to April 2025, when Among declared her intention to challenge Kadaga for the NRM’s second vice chairperson position. That move split party loyalties in Busoga and intensified regional divisions.
The feud’s ripple effects are increasingly visible in Busoga, a key electoral battleground. Museveni blamed leadership disunity for the region’s economic stagnation and warned that continued conflicts among leaders mainly hurt the poor. He urged humility and called on leaders to focus on poverty alleviation rather than personal egos.
Local residents and political analysts report growing unease, fearing that the infighting could weaken NRM support in the sub-region. Perceptions are growing that the rivalry and boycotts of party events signal a deeper crisis within the party’s Busoga leadership.
With elections looming, Museveni’s direct intervention—personally calling Kadaga and confronting Among publicly—signals the urgency of reconciling the factions to preserve party dominance. However, his sharp rebuke of the organizers has amplified the drama, reviving memories of past internal battles that bruised both the party and the region.
Opposition figures have seized on the turmoil, urging Busoga voters to cast a protest vote against what they describe as internal chaos within the ruling party. Meanwhile, calls are growing for a formal reconciliation meeting in Busoga, with stakeholders stressing the need for clear protocols and respect among senior leaders.
As the clock ticks toward January 15, the question remains: can the NRM heal its wounds in time, or will the Among–Kadaga saga cost the party dearly in this pivotal region?
Do you have a story in your community or an opinion to share with us: Email us at Submit an Article
