By Aggrey Baba
Political tempers in Katakwi are reaching boiling point as grassroots leaders sound the alarm over the long-running rivalry between Vice-President Jessica Alupo and Sports Minister Peter Ogwang, warning that the bitter feud, if left unresolved, could tear the ruling NRM apart in Teso ahead of the 2026 elections.
NRM leaders in Katakwi, as written in today’s WeekendVision, describe the clash between the two political giants as a “cold war” that has now spilled from closed doors into the open stage, threatening to divide loyal supporters into rival camps. What was once a silent grudge has now become an open wound, they say, and opposition forces are circling like vultures ready to exploit the disunity.
In their appeal, the yellow bus turn men in Teso region have called on President Yoweri Museveni, the NRM party chairman, to step in before the rift escalates beyond repair. They argue that only his authority can calm the political storm brewing in Katakwi, saying the two giants are tearing the house from the inside. They warn that while the party should be building bridges towards 2026, the two senior figures are busy digging trenches against each other.
For years, Alupo and Ogwang have struggled to see eye to eye, rarely attending the same mobilisation events despite coming from the same party and district. The rivalry has been marked by competing rallies, accusations of betrayal, and parallel camps each claiming to be the true defenders of NRM’s strength in Teso.
At a recent mobilisation event in Katakwi town, Alupo hosted fellow ministers and MPs, including Balaam Barugahara. But Ogwang’s camp accused her of using the occasion to elevate his political rivals. Days later, Ogwang staged his own rally attended by Speaker Anita Among and other heavyweights, but Alupo’s name was missing from the guest list.
Observers say the feud is not new. Its roots go back to 2016, when Ogwang backed Viola Akurut against Alupo, leading to her shock defeat in the parliamentary race. The grudge resurfaced in 2020, when Akurut again blocked Alupo in the NRM primaries, forcing her to run as an independent. Against the odds, she bounced back and was later elevated by Museveni to deputize him as the Vice President.
But if Alupo thought her comeback would heal old scars, the reality has been different. Ogwang’s camp has since grown stronger, with his allies sweeping local primaries in Katakwi and tightening their grip on constituency politics.
Meanwhile, Alupo’s supporters complain that her higher office has not shielded her from being sidelined on the ground.
Political watchers fear that unless Museveni personally brokers peace, Teso sub-region could become a battlefield of divided loyalties in 2026.
The saying, that “when two elephants fight, it is the grass that suffers” is fast becoming a reality, with local NRM supporters caught in the crossfire of clashing egos.
For now, the local leaders in Katakwi wait, hoping that the Yelow bus driver will intervene to stitch the party together before the looming polls. But with both camps digging in, Katakwi looks set to remain a political minefield, where every step could trigger an explosion. (For comments on this story, get back to us on 0705579994 [WhatsApp line], 0779411734 & 041 4674611 or email us at mulengeranews@gmail.com). 
