Kadaga and Among to Face-off at Delegates Conference -President Museveni.
During the NRM CEC meeting siting Friday 23-24 August,with the heavy weights vying for the position of First NRM National Vice Chairperson (Female) squared off with Kadaga’s Impassioned presentation of Appeal on Loyalty, Service, and Seniority in the Party visav her rival Anita Among.
Kadaga, serving the NRM since its early days (beginning as an LC1 Chairperson in 1989), argued that only individuals with at least 10 years of contribution should be eligible for top leadership positions. She pointed out that Among has only been in the party for three years, questioning her eligibility based on party rules.
She warned that a contested race could destabilize her stronghold in Busoga:
“If this goes to a contest, it will cause serious problems in my community. You may think you are fighting me, but you are fighting a bigger community.”
Kadaga also questioned fairness in party processes, reminding delegates of her past humiliation when she was removed from the Speaker’s role in 2021.
She further queried whether it’s appropriate for Among, already an ex-officio CEC member as Speaker, to contest the same position, raising concerns about concentration of power.
- Among on the other hand Fired Back and said “Being New Is Not a Crime”
Among responded calmly but firmly:
“Being new is not a crime—I come with new ideas and have mobilized over ten MPs from the opposition into NRM.”
She highlighted her contributions and loyalty, saying she respects the party and its President, and challenged Kadaga by pointing out her defiance when CEC endorsed Jacob Oulanyah for Speaker in 2021.
Among positioned herself as a bridge-builder and asset to the party’s future.
- Museveni’s Intervention was focused on not Coercion and said Delegates Must Decide
President Museveni intervened to cool tensions, refusing Kadaga’s claim of being “hunted,” and admonishing her for invoking regional backing:
“Rebecca, you don’t own Busoga… you should sit down.”
He defended the CEC process, describing it as advisory—not coercive—and disclosed that he offered a “win-win” compromise (one steps aside, the other gets nominated), which neither Kadaga nor Among accepted.
With no agreement in sight, he ruled that the final decision would be made at the National Delegates’ Conference, where delegates will vote directly.
What’s Next?
The rivalry now heads to the NRM National Delegates’ Conference, scheduled for August 27–28, 2025, where delegates will cast their votes to determine who becomes the First National Vice Chairperson (Female).
This showdown reflects broader tensions in the NRM between experience vs. renewal, loyalty vs. momentum, and regional influence vs. party unity.
It also offers a glimpse into how the ruling party may navigate succession politics ahead of the 2026 general elections.
The country now awaits impatiently for the outcome of NRM Delegates Conference set for next week.The Urban Gazette as usual will be updating you with all breaking stories as they build up. Keep reading and religiously following all our social media platformsas we dig deeper analysis of how this contest could shape NRM’s future.
