By BM
In a stunning display of political realignment, Kamuli District Local Government Speaker Charles Mpalabwe publicly abandoned long-time Busoga political icon Rebecca Kadaga, throwing his weight behind Speaker of Parliament Annet Anita Among during her final Central Executive Committee (CEC) campaign event on Monday.
The dramatic declaration came during a high-level meeting held at Parliament, where Among hosted top representatives from the Uganda Local Government Association (ULGA) and the Uganda District Council Speakers Association (UDCSA).
While the event was expected to be a routine campaign engagement, it quickly escalated into a moment of political history when Mpalabwe, speaking on behalf of Kamuli, delivered what many are calling the ‘death blow’ to Kadaga’s hopes of reclaiming her foothold within NRM’s top leadership.
“Right Honorable Kadaga comes from Kamuli, but I’m supporting Right Honorable Anita,” Mpalabwe declared. “And I have very serious and genuine reasons.”
She Has the Power and the Capacity.
Mpalabwe, who has served in the Kamuli District Council for over two decades and currently holds the speakership, did not mince words.
In front of national and local government leaders, he questioned Kadaga’s mental and physical fitness to hold high office in the ruling National Resistance Movement (NRM).
“To mobilize, you must have two serious qualities: the mental capacity and the physical capacity. They must be both,” Mpalabwe said. “Anita has both. That is why I stand with her.”
The room went silent. And then erupted.
The moment wasn’t just shocking because of what was said, but who said it.
Kadaga and Mpalabwe both hail from Kamuli. The Speaker is not just a district official he’s long been viewed as a loyal foot soldier in Kadaga’s political camp.
Until now.
If I, from Kamuli, Can Support Anita…”
Mpalabwe’s betrayal didn’t stop at words. He formally moved a motion, right there in the room, that all members unanimously endorse Speaker Among for the CEC position. The motion passed without objection.
“If I, from Kamuli, can support Right Honorable Anita, what about you?” he challenged, as heads nodded and murmurs of approval swept across the chamber.
For Anita Among, it was the clearest sign yet that her grip on the NRM’s internal machinery is firm even as she faces challenges from old guards like Kadaga, who have long dominated the Busoga sub-region and beyond.
Kadaga Silent, But Her Camp Furious
Kadaga, currently the First Deputy Prime Minister and former Speaker of Parliament, has yet to publicly respond to the stinging rebuke. However, sources within her camp say she is “deeply disturbed” by Mpalabwe’s public defection.
“This is not just politics it’s treachery,” said a senior Kadaga aide, speaking off the record. “She brought these people up, gave them platforms, and now they’re dancing on her political grave.”
Kadaga’s allies argue that age or health has never been barriers to leadership, pointing to her still-active role in cabinet and diplomacy, but insiders admit the optics is bad. Very bad.
Among Rising, Kadaga Fading?
For parliamentary reporters, Monday’s event marked a symbolic shift in the NRM’s internal structure.
The endorsement from grassroots local government leaders, especially from Kadaga’s own district, reflects a seismic change in who holds the real political capital.
“This wasn’t just about loyalty, it was about relevance,” said parliamentary journalist Francis Lubega. “Among has it. Kadaga is losing it.”
With 2026 looming and the CEC contest heating up, Anita Among now stands firmly in the spotlight, not just as Speaker of Parliament, but as the new queen maker within the NRM.
And with Kamuli’s Speaker leading the charge, Kadaga’s throne no longer looks as secure as it once did.
One Thing Is Clear: In Kamuli, the Queen Has Been Dethroned. (For comments on this story, get back to us on 0705579994 [WhatsApp line], 0779411734 & 041 4674611 or email us at mulengeranews@gmail.com).
