By Mulengera Reporters
While campaigning in Tororo, Bobi Wine carried on with his policy of belligerently targeting seasoned and long serving political leaders from the opposition side, which many are counting on him to lead to victory next January 2026.
Geoffrey Ekanya, who has been the biggest and most consistent opposition voice in that Bukedi sub region (his weaknesses notwithstanding) since the year 2001, did not survive the Kyagulanyi knife.
The NUP big man went after Ekanya and incited the crowd against him just like he had earlier on done against Abdul Katuntu in Bugweri and Asuman Basalirwa in Bugiri. It wasn’t readily clear why Bobi Wine, whose NUP is yet to attract and recruit any bigger name politicians in Bukedi, would go after Ekanya who has never publicly attacked him anywhere.
But apart from Ekanya, there are many other big-name veteran opposition politicians who Bobi Wine has declared war on and doesn’t want to see back in the 12th Parliament. They included (but not limited to) the following:
Allan Sewanyana: He has been Makindye West MP since 2016 and belongs to NUP but Kyagulanyi is not comfortable with him because, besides being NUP, he has strong admiration and respect for Erias Lukwago, Semujju Nganda and Kizza Besigye, the trio who Kyagulanyi resents because they formed their own PFF instead of coming to bow before him and become NUP members. In his world, everyone must belong to NUP or else they are stooges for NRM.
Moses Kasibante: He is too independent-minded and fearless to be accepted in NUP. If ordered to jump, he will ask you why and yet in NUP there is simply no room for such free thinkers who believe that holding and expressing a dissenting view is a right and not subversion. He isn’t the type who is going to go on his knees to flatter the principal while proclaiming his infallibility.
Mike Mabikke: Like Kasibante, he was among the earliest to notice and suffer from NUP’s imperfections, which he fearlessly called out and urged others to do the same. He was among the very first risk takers to do to Kyagulanyi what the English call “Belling the Cat” and Lubega Mukaku was among the first ones to join him in doing it.
Semujju Nganda: He is too inquisitive to have a place in NUP whose President believes all one must do is to flatter him endlessly and never call him out even when he is glaringly wrong.
Asuman Basalirwa: He is senior and intelligent, actually capable of eclipsing Kyagulanyi’s credentials on almost all parameters. And in NUP, that is treasonable.
Medard Segona: He has been humble and respectful and always willing to flatter Kyagulanyi with the title ‘President’ but his excellent credentials are simply too frightening to the NUP President and his adherents. His independent-mindedness prevented him from castigating Mathias Mpuuga at the time it’s all the principal wanted.
Abed Bwanika: He has fearlessly been calling out the principal who whose unquestionable authority he he demystified when he refused to quit the Government Assurances Committee as Chairperson when Kavule required him to.
Abdul Katuntu: He hasn’t fallen into line whereby whoever professes opposition must join NUP and publicly go around flattering Bobi Wine. Katuntu has been in Parliament for no less than 25 years and has never attacked Kyagulanyi yet for Kavule that’s not being good enough.
He must go to Kavule or appear on a radio or TV talk show and engage in some Trump-like flattery while praising Kyagulanyi as God-sent and add things like “mwana gwe olyoka nga nojja tubadde tetuyina opposition ntufu mu Uganda [it’s good Bobi Wine came because we didn’t have genuine opposition to Museveni].”
George Kagimu: He is the former Mayor for Mukono and was willing to flatter Kyagulanyi but Betty Nambooze’s selfish interests blocked him from accessing Bobi’s favour.
Faruk Ntege: He is the brother to Nasser Ntege Ssebaggala and has twice pleaded for the NUP ticket for Makindye West but in vain.
Nsereko Wakayima: The outgoing Nansana Municipality MP has been there since 2011 but he is totally unwanted at Kavule because he is either broke or too mean and doesn’t part with money to invest in the party.
Fred Ssimbwa: He is from Nakifuuma and a one Sulaiman Kiwanuka has been fronted to replace him because some Kavule insiders were uncomfortable with him.
Joyce Bagala: The Mityana Woman MP is naturally too good and self-respecting to be accepted by people at Kavule. She refused to denounce Mathias Mpuuga and also joined Bwanika in refusing to leave the Government Assurances Committee and teamed up with NRM to block Bobi’s wishes.
Johnson Muyanja Senyonga: He wanted to regain Mukono South MP Seat but Secretary General Rubongoya’s blue-eyed boy Robert Maseruka had to be made MP in order to appease his wealthy relatives in the diaspora who put a lot of money in NUP.
Anifa Nabukeera: She is the Mukono Woman MP but who had to be overcome to appease Nambooze and being mean and stingy is her other problem.
Michael Kakembo: The Entebbe Municipality MP had to be punished because his background is DP and refused to denounce Mpuuga over the Shs500m he was given.
Moses Kabuusu: The Kyamuswa County MP in Kalangala is PFF but very respectful of Kyagulanyi. He has to be targeted for destruction because he is too principled and refused to go to Kavule to kneel begging to be recruited to be commanded by foot soldiers. He is a well-spoken lawyer and used to work at CBS which Kavule sees as an enemy of their so-called struggle.
Erias Lukwago: He is respectful of NUP and has never attacked them even after defeating their Nabillah Nagayi. To Kavule, he is supposed to be NUP member so that be bows before Kyagulanyi and comes under the jurisdiction and control of foot soldiers. His being PFF President, instead of being a NUP member, is sufficient for decision makers at Kavule to categorize him as an enemy.
Manjeri Kyebakutika: The Jinja City Woman MP is the only NUP MP in Busoga but Kavule dislikes her because she is a good ally of Moses Bigirwa who was forced out and has always been out on media spilling Bobi’s autocratic secrets which he became privy to as he served as NUP founding NEC member.
Juliet Nakakande: The Masaka City Woman MP has to be fought because she rejected flattery and works well with Mathias Mpuuga.
Bamu Lulenzi: The Iganga Mayor had been very loyal to Kyagulanyi yet he was recently disregarded for the Iganga Municipality MP ticket which was given to Nasser Mudiobole a lawyer from FDC. Lulenzi is coming as an independent and has even stopped wearing the beret and generally promoting NUP colours. He is a close friend of Gen Bigirwa.
Gordon Ssematiko: The former NDA Executive Secretary was among the first senior Movementists to embrace Bobi Wine. However, he was despised largely because Kavule resents senior people like Ssematiko who was also twice Mityana North MP long before Bobi came to politics. Kavule considered him to be too decent for their ticket which was given to Teacher Isaac Tomusange.
Idi Lubyayi Kisiki: This ex-Bukomansimbi MP, who marries Gen Elly Kayanja’s sister Asha, left NRM and joined NUP but was disregarded because Kavule despises the elderly.
Mohammed Kateregga: The Jeema SG is pro-Mpuuga and every Saturday appears on CBS to call out Kavule. He is eyeing a Bukomansimbi MP Seat and this is the second time he is trying. With Besigye and Hussein Kyanjo’s backing, Kateregga became Bukomansimbi LC5 Chairman in 2011 and did two terms up to 2021.
Michael Kabaziguruka: Kavule envied him for the publicity and prominence he received earlier this year when he won the military court case in the Supreme Court. To them, everyone must bow and flatter Bobi Wine, which Kabaziguruka can’t do. His decision to reclaim Nakawa East MP seat diminishes Alex Waiswa’s chances, hence angering Kavule.
Sajjalyabene Kigozi: He stood in Kavule’s way by standing against their David Serukenya in 2021 and their Nasif Najja in 2026. Sajja is also deeply rooted at Mengo and inside the Catholic Church, which discomforts Kavule.
Matia Lwanga Bwanika: He is hated at Kavule for similar reasons like Sajja’s. The outgoing Wakiso LC5 Chairman is also from DP and used to work on CBS radio. He backed Sajja against Najja for Wakiso LC5 Chairmanship. He is now seeking to become MP for Busiro South on independent after being rejected by Kavule in favour of Charles Matovu, who has been an obscure MP for the last five years. He never talks in plenary nor Committee sessions.
Francis Katabaazi: He famously defeated Defence Minister Sempijja in 2021 but he had to be sacrificed in favour of Yusuf Nkeretanyi in whom someone very powerful at Kavule has curious interest in to take the position of Kalungu East MP.
