In the dramatic world of Ugandan politics, few figures have enjoyed the longevity and reverence once accorded to Rt. Hon. Rebecca Kadaga. But alas, time is a merciless judge — and Kadaga, once a towering force in Parliament, now finds herself reduced to a political relic, stubbornly refusing to bow out with dignity. Her decision to challenge the youthful, vibrant, and far more strategic Speaker of Parliament, Rt. Hon. Anita Among, for the NRM 2nd National Vice Chairperson (Female) seat is not only disappointing but politically suicidal.
At nearly 70 years old, Kadaga’s persistence to remain in elective politics is a sad spectacle — a story of what happens when a leader overstays their welcome and begins to destroy their own legacy. After three and a half decades in Parliament, over 20 years in leadership roles including Deputy Speaker, Speaker, and now 1st Deputy Prime Minister, what exactly is Kadaga chasing? Is it service or selfishness? Public duty or personal desperation?
Her bid to unseat Among is not just misguided — it is the ultimate betrayal of the very ideals she once championed. Kadaga was a pioneer for women’s leadership, an icon of emancipation, and an inspiration for a generation of young female leaders. But by refusing to step aside for a woman she helped inspire, she now stands in the way of the very progress she once symbolized.
This is not just about competition; it’s about generational sabotage.
Anita Among represents everything the NRM needs today: loyalty, energy, strategic insight, and unwavering coordination between the party and the Legislature. Her ascension has brought calm, cohesion, and renewed purpose to a Parliament that was previously in constant tension with the Executive. She consults, she listens, and above all, she delivers — traits that Kadaga unfortunately abandoned in her twilight years in office.
Let’s not forget Kadaga’s open defiance of the party in 2021 when she ran as an independent after CEC endorsed the late Jacob Oulanyah. That move alone disqualified her from ever pretending to be a team player again. Her history of picking fights with State House, disregarding party direction, and using her office to promote self-glorification over party discipline makes her a liability, not an asset.
In contrast, Anita Among has demonstrated rare political maturity. She has earned her place, not through manipulation or patronage, but by mastering the delicate art of leadership — balancing party interests with institutional integrity. Her tenure as Speaker has been marked by stability, efficiency, and strategic alignment with President Museveni’s vision. Among doesn’t see herself as bigger than the party; she sees herself as a servant of its mission.
Kadaga’s latest ambition is therefore not only unwarranted — it’s a threat to the unity and direction of the NRM. It reeks of entitlement and suggests a woman out of touch with political reality. She has become the very thing every political party fears: an overstayed elder who confuses experience with entitlement, and who undermines fresh leadership out of sheer ego.
What is even more tragic is the way Kadaga is willingly walking into a humiliating political defeat. Her support base within CEC and among grassroots cadres has thinned. Her political brand, once glowing with admiration, now carries the stench of arrogance and irrelevance. In contrast, Among enjoys the confidence of the President, the trust of Parliament, and the admiration of the party’s new generation.
Kadaga’s continued bid will only end one way: a shameful defeat at the hands of the very protégé she once inspired. But perhaps that is what it will take to remind her — and many other overstayed politicians — that leadership is not a personal inheritance. The NRM needs leaders who will propel it forward, not drag it back into the trenches of political entitlement and internal rebellion.
The writing is on the wall. Kadaga’s time is up. She can either retreat gracefully and preserve what little remains of her legacy, or she can insist on being dragged off the stage to the jeers of those who once applauded her. The choice is hers — but history will remember that when it was time to pass the torch, Kadaga chose instead to burn the house down.
The NRM must guard Anita Among jealously. She is not just the future — she is the present. The party needs her coordination, her strategy, her loyalty, and her ability to unify the Legislature with the Executive. She is the bridge that Kadaga broke, now rebuilt with stronger, steadier hands.
It’s time to say it plainly: Rebecca Kadaga is wasting her time. And if she insists on continuing this quixotic campaign, she won’t just lose an election — she will lose the last shred of honor she still holds.
muhimbiseg@gmail.com | Political Analyst
