By Aggrey Baba
He once called them corrupt. Now he wants their ticket. After years of shouting from the blue corner, former FDC firebrand Simon Muyanga Lutaya has finally bowed to the yellow tide, joining NRM and entering the crowded race for Bulamogi MP.
This has left many in Bulamogi and beyond scratching their heads, wondering how a man once known for his sharp criticism of the yellow regime has now chosen to stand under its very umbrella.
Muyanga, who made a name for himself through fiery political talk shows on NBS TV, Baba TV and Top Radio, is now eyeing the NRM flag for Bulamogi County MP in the upcoming party primaries slated for July 16, having picked nomination forms on Friday.
The seat is currently held by Sanon Bwiire, but Muyanga will have to outmuscle not only the incumbent but also former MP Kenneth Lubogo (who beat him hands down in the past years), and tycoon Bernard Mugoya, also known in local circles as Agroben.
In what many see as a sign of desperation, he once publicly declared his allegiance to Gen. Muhoozi Kainerugaba’s Patriotic League of Uganda (PLU), a pressure group-turned-political outfit known more for money-splashing than ideology.
At the time, PLU had begun attracting political hopefuls and opportunists like bees to honey, dishing out branded T-shirts and hosting weekend pork feasts disguised as mobilizations. Muyanga’s name briefly floated among the so-called “Muhoozi project” sympathizers, but his ambitions didn’t find room to grow there.
Now, months later, he has rebranded himself once again, this time as a clean, development-minded NRM aspirant who wants to serve Bulamogi from within the yellow bus.
The man once seen as a die-hard for the opposition’s cause now talks about unity, internal party democracy, and supporting Rt. Hon. Anita Among whom he publicly backed on June 10, 2025 during her campaign for the NRM’s 2nd National Vice Chairperson (Female) post.
The political terrain in Bulamogi is no smooth tarmac. With heavyweights like Bwiire and Agroben holding sway in different corners of the county, and Kenneth Lubogo still commanding respect from elders, Muyanga’s journey won’t be a walkover.
But some youth groups and boda boda riders seem excited by his entry, especially those who remember his media days and see him as someone who can “speak for the common man.”
As the NRM primaries draw closer, all eyes are now on how far Muyanga’s political U-turn will take him. Will the people of Bulamogi trust his new tune, or will they see through it as just another remix of old ambitions?
Only time will tell. But as the Basoga say, “Omuliro ogutatabangulwa gwaka mangu” (the fire that’s not interfered with catches fast). Whether Muyanga’s fire will light Bulamogi or burn out in the primaries remains to be seen. (For comments on this story, get back to us on 0705579994 [WhatsApp line], 0779411734 & 041 4674611 or email us at mulengeranews@gmail.com).
