After being despised and dismissed as crude, too local, aloof and unsophisticated, Kyotera-born politician Haruna Kasolo late last year proved sceptics wrong when he unexpectedly prevailed against a strong tide. He moved out to become the ruling NRM party vice chairman for Buganda region.
He demonstrated sophistication and unprecedented pedigree when it comes to political mobilization when he put together a powerful coalition that comprised of almost all the leaders who matter in Buganda. These included former Vice Presidents (Gilbert Bukenya & Edward Sekandi), leading NRM ideologue Abdul Nadduli, elder Mamerito Mugerwa and others. These joined his wife Dr. Ruth Kasolo Aisha, a colossus in her own right, to escort him to Kyadondo for nominations.
He equally secured support and overt endorsements from unexpected quarters including Buganda Kingdom whose Katikkiro Charles Peter Mayiga demonstrated his preference for him in a multiplicity of ways. Kasolo also had his legitimacy for the position rise when Prince Kassim Nakibinge, the most influential Muslim leader in Uganda based at Kibuli hill, demonstrated his fondness for him.
The Haruna Kasolo coalition had other formidable power brokers in Uganda’s public life including Attorney General Kiwanuka Kiryowa, NRM/Buganda caucus head Robert Migadde Ndugwa and ONC Manager Hajjat Hadijah Uzeiye Namyalo whose personal assistant Hakim Kyeswa pulled out of the race in his favour at the last minute when the NRM Conference was already underway at Kololo. This pressured Godfrey Kiwanda and Sewava Mukasa to do the same. Even when she was expected to be neutral, NRM Deputy Secretary General Rose Namayanja also peripherally aided the Haruna Kasolo victory.
WHO DID WHAT: Briefly, the kingmakers and unsung heroes who played pivotal roles in ensuring success for the Haruna Kasolo CEC project included the Katikkiro (who gave him a platform at Bulange), Nakibinge (who personally hosted him for mentoring sessions and gave him platform at Kibuli especially during the Kabaka bash), the ex-VPs (whose involvement created positive PR vibes for his bid), Kiwanuka Kiryowa (who scared off would-be mafia detractors), Abdul Nadduli & Mamerito Mugerwa (whose involvement demonstrated endorsement of the old NRM cadres and structures), social media influencers like Full Figure (whose blogging created positive social media vibe and even confronted Nameere), Lwengo Woman MP Cissy Namujju (whose coming on board circumvented fears that powerful actors like the Speaker were against the candidate) and NRM Rubaga Chairman Majambere who commanded squads of foot soldiers to rally behind Haruna Kasolo.
There was also Hajji Nzizi Haruna Kibirige of Mityana who in delegates meetings, fearlessly contradicted money man Moses Karangwa and coordinated a coalition of elected leaders at the sub county level for much of the Bantu-speaking parts of Uganda.
Last but not least was his able wife Dr. Aisha Ruth Kasolo, who has her own clout—being a women economic empowerment coach and manager of the multi-billion GoU/World Bank GROW project, that is dedicated to the economic empowerment and emancipation of women volunteering into business in all the administrative units of Uganda.
Aisha, who has been Kasolo’s sweetheart for more than 10 years did many consequential things including personally reaching out to the President (Gen Museveni has a unique liking for her) whose quiet endorsement she secured. It was after that private engagement that Museveni began to publicly become very outspoken against candidates who were sinking billions of shillings into the respective CEC races. This greatly deflated Moses Karangwa and emboldened Kiryowa who was the most outspoken Kasolo supporter against voter bribery at Kololo. Indeed, Karangwa personally castigated Kiryowa at a subsequent news conference after Kasolo floored him at Kololo.
Beyond coordinating a very sophisticated media operation, which effectively amplified Haruna Kasolo’s messaging, Aisha personally engaged women MPs and other consequential leaders, focal persons and influential delegates as the country counted down to the Kololo conference. She also greatly impacted fundraising for the Haruna Kasolo CEC project, which she personally travelled to different parts of the country to popularize and her impact was most felt in upcountry regions such as West Nile.
As a responsible spouse with plenty of exposure, Aisha (an influential figure sitting on many corporate boards including Gen Museveni’s Presidential CEO Forum given her enormous private sector background) ensured that her husband had total overhaul and image makeover, which neutralized propagandists who were disputing Haruna Kasolo’s personal demeanour while endeavouring to portray him as fatally unfit for such a big position.
The NBS TV owner Dr. Kin Karisa, a fellow Muslim and an influential actor in the Kassim Nakibinge universe, also played a pivotal role. This was by way of ensuring that Kasolo regularly featured on the Barometer program, a platform that enabled him popularize himself while demonstrating depth, understanding and commitment to the NRM cause. Curiously, these days Haruna Kasolo no longer has time for Barometer and this is something which some NBS producers are quietly grumbling about. “That cunning politician from Kyotera used and dumped us, forgetting that there will always be another day. We can’t wait to see his day of reckoning come,” said one of the aggrieved NBS producers, accusing Haruna Kasolo of distancing himself from them after securing the CEC win.
Every Tuesday, a composed Haruna Kasolo turned up for Barometer to fearlessly contradict NUP propagandists like Betty Nambooze, Blasio Zambali Mukasa and others. Across the country, and in the diaspora too, NRM supporters took note of this and determined to reciprocate by giving their vote to Kasolo at the Kololo Conference.
So, for this very glaring contribution, Kin Kariisa and whoever else was involved in improvising that prime TV platform, deserves kudos for such enormous contribution to Haruna Kasolo’s political evolution and transformation from an obscure NRM cadre to one with nationwide appeal and recognition. That visibility on the leading nation TV was game-changing and greatly bolstered Kasolo’s chances as delegates contrasted that with Moses Karangwa’s inability to shine and excel on that front.
CRACKS EMERGE, M7 NOW CAUTIOUS:
A shocking political intelligence brief recently came to the attention of the President, suddenly disputing Haruna Kasolo’s suitability. The dossier authors, closely corroborating with a few ruling party elders from Buganda, cautioned the President to think twice before elevating Haruna Kasolo to a bigger Cabinet position, from the state ministerial job he currently holds at Finance.
The President’s investigators reported (as the big man prepares to unleash his new Cabinet in which media reports suggest Kasolo could go as high as being VP) that there are serious personal character concerns Haruna Kasolo must address and align himself better, before becoming suitable for such elevation, moreover at this critical juncture in the politics of Uganda.
Mzee’s investigators established that the euphoria and honeymoon-like hysteria that came with the last September victory against Moses Karangwa has now degenerated into regret and frustration among many of those who propped up Haruna Kasolo (who recently openly objected to Anita Among’s retention as Speaker). That many of the delegates and pivotal actors who ensured the CEC win were now regretting why they invested their hopes in Kasolo. That he immediately changed and revealed his true colours by turning his back on such enablers, while disregarding those who made him win.
That many such enablers last directly heard from him at Kololo and today, just a few months later, they can’t even reach him via telephone. That the fun-loving Minister from Kyotera doesn’t even reply text messages anymore.
A group of delegates and NRM leaders from greater Mukono (and more specifically from Buvuma) are vigorously pushing for audience with the President to vent out their frustrations. And some of them described Haruna Kasolo to Mzee’s intelligence brief authors as follows: “He is a user who just uses people and dumps them the moment he reaches his destination. He has no loyalty to anyone and doesn’t keep allies. He is proud and believes he can disregard anyone. He is ungrateful and doesn’t realize that the sustainable rejuvenation of NRM in Buganda requires an inclusive approach where CEC level leaders like him have to have humility and accept to be advised while keeping all allies on board. He thinks he can ignore everyone and go it alone. Many people sacrificed, risked witch hunt and rejected Moses Karangwa’s money to be there for him but Kasolo has quickly forgotten each one of them.”
It was separately established that even powerful actors like AG Kiryowa who propped up the ‘Buganda on Museveni’ campaign purposely to create an effective mobilisation platform for Kasolo is lately remorseful. That KK, as pals fondly call him, feels disrespected to see the extent to which Haruna Kasolo these days disregards his ideas and guidance.
Inside PLU, where David Kabanda calls shots, Kasolo is one of the most hated top level regional executive bosses because many resent his pride and indifference towards comrades. “He has so much disregard and contempt for everyone else and in his world, he is this all knowing being who knows everything and isn’t entitled to accepting guidance and advice from anyone,” says one PLU top official who denied Kasolo being a victim of targeted switch hunt by envious MK foot soldiers. “If you think we just envy and hate him, ask people who attended the joint Cabinet and PSs’ retreat at Kyankwanzi sometime back. He had it rough infront of the First Lady, when the President had moved away and this was after trying to impose his views on members of his small focus discussion group as their joint paper containing jointly agreed proposals was being drafted. It was Evelyne Anite who stood up to his chauvinism. He is simply not a team player.”
A growing number of NRM cadres, mobilizers and elected leaders from Buganda have equally been reaching out to State House to protest to the President as to why no financial facilitation was accessed to them during the just-ended campaigns yet they hear that CEC regional chairpersons (Kasolo-like actors) for other regions were able to access campaign billions from the NRM national chairman, which they delivered and used to facilitate mobilizers and vote hunters in their respective areas of political jurisdiction. Many of them are angry as to why the same never happened in Haruna Kasolo’s region.
Many are imploring the President not to risk empowering Haruna Kasolo with a powerful Cabinet post in his 8th term government if he wants harmony and effective mobilization to continue prevailing in Buganda, a region the ruling party only managed to wrestle from the opposition NUP in the just-ended election cycle.
“The man is too belligerent towards fellow NRM leaders yet such positions are meant to amplify political mobilisation. Giving him a big position in Cabinet, at the expense of more sociable cadres, will only ferment intrigue and escalate contradictions in the NRM camp as we prepare to consolidate our 2026 political victory over NUP in Buganda,” said a senior NRM leader from Greater Masaka where the naturally very ungrateful Haruna Kasolo doesn’t see eye to eye with many fellow elected leaders from the ruling party.
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