Politics
Tense Showdown Between Rebecca Kadaga and Anita Among at NRM NEC Meeting Over Second National Vice Chairman (Woman) Position
A heated exchange unfolded between Rebecca Kadaga, Uganda’s First Deputy Prime Minister, and Anita Among, the Speaker of Parliament, during a National Resistance Movement (NRM) National Executive Committee (NEC) meeting, as both political heavyweights vied for the influential role of Second National Vice Chairman (Woman).
Kadaga, a long-standing stalwart of the NRM, raised concerns over Among’s eligibility, citing party rules that require aspirants to have served the NRM for at least ten years. She said, “When you’re filling out the form, expression of interest. You are asked, What have you done for the NRM in the last 10 years? Those are the guidelines. We have not changed them. The person aspiring to this office has only worked for three years for the NRM.”
Emphasising her decades-long service, Kadaga highlighted her political journey from her early days as LC1 chairman in Buramuti in 1989, through LC2, to a backbench member for seven years. She questioned the rapid rise of Among, who she said had only recently joined the party’s top echelons. “I have been a member of this party since its inception… I was patiently seated for 7 years on the back bench. So, I don’t understand why there’s a rush. Someone just comes for 3 years and wants to be at the top of the party,” Kadaga remarked.
Among, however, she defended her candidacy by pointing to her own contributions to the party and the new energy she brings. She also recalled the 2021 speakership contest in which Kadaga ran as an independent against the late Jacob Oulanyah, highlighting perceived inconsistencies in Kadaga’s stance. “I’m new, but I come with new ideas and new vibes. The mobilisation that I’m doing for this party… I can have over 10 members of parliament here that I have brought from the opposition to NRM,” Among stated.
President Yoweri Museveni, the NRM Party Chairman, intervened to temper the rhetoric, cautioning against portraying the contest as a personal hunt or introducing ethnic considerations. “Kadaga needs to correct the idea that anybody is hunting her. Because there’s nobody who’s hunting you,” Museveni said, further advising,
“And also, it is not correct for you to try to involve my people, the Basoga. To try to give the impression that if it’s not you, the Basoga are not there. This is not correct.”
The outcome of the contest now rests with the NRM NEC, which will assess the candidates’ qualifications, experience, and contributions to the party. While Kadaga brings long-term loyalty and a wealth of experience, Among offers fresh perspectives and demonstrated mobilisation skills, particularly in attracting new MPs to the party.
As the meeting concluded, the air remained tense, with both candidates presenting strong cases. The decision on the Second National Vice Chairman (Woman) will likely shape the NRM’s internal dynamics and influence its future leadership trajectory.
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