By KT Reporter
Rebecca Alitwala Kadaga, the Kamuli District Woman MP, currently serves as the First Deputy Prime Minister, a position she assumed after losing the speaker’s seat to the late Jacob Oulanya. As the most senior leader in the Busoga sub-region, Kadaga enjoys extensive national political experience, having served as both Deputy Speaker and Speaker of Parliament.
Her seemingly progressive political trajectory took a downturn in 2021 when her deputy, Oulanya, was elected Speaker of Parliament, prompting President Museveni to appoint her to his cabinet. The setbacks continued when the incumbent Speaker, Anita Among, defeated her to win the position of Second National Resistance Movement (NRM) Vice Chairperson for women.
Widely regarded as a political icon, some dissenting voices have attributed Kadaga’s setbacks to a deliberate political witchhunt by power brokers, allegedly intimidated by her bold and uncompromising character. In Busoga, where Kadaga enjoys substantial grassroots support, discussions of political persecution circulated in closed WhatsApp groups, with some members even considering abandoning the NRM.
Her loyal supporters, commonly referred to as “Team Kadaga” and led by chairperson Peter Kisambira, organized a homecoming event in her honor after the CEC seat loss. The rally began at the Nile Bridge, included a brief address at Jinja City’s showgrounds, and culminated in a seven-hour-long procession to Kamuli Municipal Stadium for a mega rally.
The event attracted thousands of attendees, including politicians from different parties, businesspeople, educators, and farmers. Calls for Kadaga to leave the NRM intensified, citing what supporters described as “total humiliation.” However, Kadaga urged calm and patience, promising to announce her next steps officially.
During her main rally in Kamuli, Kadaga openly accused her adversaries of political persecution but refrained from revealing her official decision. In mid-October, she began organizing pre-presidential campaign activations for President Museveni in districts across the Busoga sub-region, highlighting the NRM’s achievements. These activities lasted nearly a month and concluded with the official launch of Museveni’s campaign in Busoga on 15th November.
Kadaga has encouraged her supporters to focus on the future, emphasizing NRM’s plan to consolidate past achievements while implementing more transformative projects for the Busoga sub-region. Unlike other regions, where campaign rallies were led primarily by NRM party leaders, in Busoga, Kadaga has been given a prominent role in canvassing votes.
Her addresses typically follow those of the district NRM chairpersons, who outline the party’s accomplishments over the past 40 years and the challenges to be addressed in the next five years. Kadaga emphasizes the need for President Museveni to fulfill his pledges to Busoga, framing the presidential mandate as the key to realizing these commitments.Kadaga’s influence in Busoga elicits mixed reactions.
Sylvia Nakandi notes that Kadaga commands respect as a native leader with notable achievements, making her a strategic asset in consolidating political support for the NRM. However, Nakandi observes that some unfulfilled pledges have strained the party’s relationship with the broader community. Lovisa Mutyabule highlights Kadaga’s previous political setbacks, which created the perception of a strained relationship between her and President Museveni.
Mutyabule believes that seeing both campaigns together has sparked renewed confidence among supporters in their collaborative commitment. Swaibu Ojasi, NRM parliamentary flag bearer for Iganga Municipality, agrees, noting that Kadaga’s grassroots connection has energized the campaign, with supporters actively attending rallies.
Ojasi adds that if NRM leaders in Busoga maintain the sense of camaraderie exemplified by Kadaga throughout the campaign period, these rally crowds could translate into meaningful votes. Elijah Mwinike, however, points out that voting patterns in Busoga are shifting, driven largely by first-time young voters unfamiliar with NRM’s legacy.
He notes that while intensive mobilization efforts, such as distributing UGX 100 million in capitalization funds to youth groups across the 12 local governments, have helped, divisions persist. Some groups that have yet to benefit from these funds are increasingly supporting opposition parties.
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