Mass Exodus Hits Jeema as 53 Members Defect, Blaming ‘Untouchable Clique’

The Justice Forum (Jeema) political party is facing a significant internal crisis after at least 53 of its members, led by former spokesperson Abdulnoor Ssentongo Kyamundu, announced their defection today. The group cited “irreconcilable differences” and the alleged abandonment of the party’s core values by an “untouchable clique within the leadership” as reasons for their departure.

The dramatic split comes just days after the High Court in Kampala dismissed an application by five Jeema members, including Kyamundu, challenging the extension of the term of office for current party leaders, including President Asuman Basalirwa. Justice Simon Peter Kinobe ruled that the applicants had failed to file their challenge within the stipulated three-month timeframe after the decision was made on October 8, 2020.

In a statement signed by Kyamundu, the defecting members expressed their frustration, stating, “This decision comes after exhausting all internal and external dispute resolution mechanisms that culminated in recourse to courts of law. We have found that the core values and beliefs, and methods of work that attracted us to Jeema were long abandoned by an untouchable clique within the leadership, and are no longer part of the party’s direction.”

The group emphasised their belief that their constituents, who still believe in justice, deserve representation that truly reflects their needs and interests.

The court’s dismissal of the application for being “filed out of time” without an accompanying request for extension of time and justifiable reasons effectively upheld the extended tenure of Basalirwa and his team. This judicial setback appears to have been the final straw for the dissenting faction.

Kyamundu further indicated that the defectors are actively “exploring other options for association that better align with their aspirations.” These options, it now emerges, include the newly formed Democratic Front, a political party led by the former Leader of Opposition, Mathias Mpuuga.

In a significant development last night, Abdulnoor Ssentongo Kyamundu was elected as the Democratic Front Vice President for Buganda, signalling a clear new political direction for the prominent former Jeema official and his allies.

Asuman Basalirwa, the embattled President of Jeema, could not be reached for comment by press time. The mass defection and the subsequent alignment of key former members with a new political entity are set to significantly impact Jeema’s standing in the Ugandan political landscape and will undoubtedly be a focal point in the run-up to future elections.