Politics
Power Struggle Rocks NEED Party as Kabuleta Battles Suspension
An explosive power struggle has erupted within the National Economic Empowerment Dialogue (NEED) Party, with its embattled president, Joseph Kabuleta, rejecting a 90-day suspension announced by the party’s National Executive Committee (NEC), calling it a politically motivated smear campaign.
The NEC, in a statement issued earlier this month, accused Kabuleta of violating internal procedures, including unilaterally declaring himself as the party’s presidential flag bearer without approval, and arbitrarily expelling executive members. However, emerging details suggest the crisis is far deeper than what was officially communicated.
Sources within the party, speaking on condition of anonymity, allege that the suspension was a coordinated plot led by two former party officials—Moses Matovu, ex-spokesperson, and Charles Basajja, former Secretary General—who are accused of seeking to dismantle the party from within.
The two were previously dismissed from their roles but have reportedly continued to pose as official representatives. Party insiders claim Matovu’s dismissal followed persistent public attacks on rival opposition groups, particularly the National Unity Platform (NUP), in defiance of Kabuleta’s directive for unity within the opposition.
Matovu’s alleged defiance escalated when he was photographed attending a Democratic Party event in Mbarara, donning the party’s T-shirt and holding a DP card, triggering accusations of dual allegiance.
Even more explosive are claims that Basajja was approached by insiders from the Patriotic League of Uganda (PLU), a pro-government pressure group led by Gen. Muhoozi Kainerugaba, to infiltrate and weaken NEED from within in exchange for a potential position in a future administration.
Basajja is alleged to have accepted the offer and orchestrated the removal of then-Secretary General Asuman Odaka, reportedly with help from an insider at the Electoral Commission. Kabuleta, in a televised interview, further claimed that Basajja—once his close friend—played a role in coordinating his 2022 arrest using links to Gen. Muhoozi.
Additionally, Matovu has allegedly been in contact with officials from the newly launched Democratic Alliance (DA), led by former Leader of the Opposition Mathias Mpuuga, adding to speculation of coordinated political maneuvering against Kabuleta.
Despite the swirling controversy, Kabuleta remains defiant.
“I am going to stand as president and as the President of NEED, and no clown is going to stop that,” he said during a recent press appearance. “No force in Heaven or Hell is going to stop me.”
He dismissed the NEC’s decision as illegitimate and described the dissenters as “disgruntled beggars” used by external forces to destabilize the party.
As NEED plunges deeper into internal chaos, political observers say the saga could have far-reaching implications for Uganda’s opposition landscape. The party, once viewed as a fresh voice in national politics, is now fighting for its survival amid allegations of betrayal, infiltration, and ideological rifts.
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