“Why Do You Hate Bobi Wine, Your Own Son Of Buganda , What Will You Do When He Becomes President ” Lutamaguzi Questions Katikkiro Mayiga

In a dramatic turn of political theater that underscored rising tensions between the National Unity Platform (NUP) and the Buganda Kingdom establishment, NUP presidential flagbearer Robert Kyagulanyi, popularly known as Bobi Wine, openly applauded Nakaseke South MP Paul Lutamaguzi Semakula for a scathing attack on Kabaka’s officials.

This act of approval came in the form of a symbolic gesture—Bobi Wine rising from his seat during a campaign rally in Nakaseke last week and handing Lutamaguzi a Shs50,000 note in appreciation of his boldness.

This small, yet highly symbolic act spoke volumes and further confirmed suspicions that Bobi Wine considers officials at Mengo—the administrative seat of the Buganda Kingdom—as adversaries to his presidential ambitions.

Lutamaguzi’s speech, which was equal parts explosive and impassioned, electrified the massive crowd gathered at the Nakaseke rally. With defiant resolve, he warned that if President Yoweri Kaguta Museveni rigs the 2026 elections to deny Bobi Wine victory, he would personally lead violent protests to force the President out of power.

More controversially, the legislator did not shy away from taking on the Buganda Kingdom leadership itself. He boldly accused Kabaka’s top officials—specifically pointing at Katikkiro Charles Peter Mayiga—of harboring deep-seated hatred toward Bobi Wine. According to Lutamaguzi, the Mengo leadership sees Bobi Wine as a disruptive force who threatens the status quo, particularly Museveni’s long-standing grip on power.

Without offering detailed evidence, Lutamaguzi made a serious claim that “Museveni has been pouring billions of shillings into Mengo,” insinuating that the Kingdom’s bureaucracy survives and thrives on State House funding. He suggested that this financial entanglement has compromised Mengo’s neutrality, pushing them to resist Bobi Wine’s rise.

“But let me also ask you old men at Mengo,” Lutamaguzi thundered, “Why do you hate Bobi Wine yet he is the only son of Buganda [mwana wa Buganda] with the realistic chance to become the President of Uganda?”

That single rhetorical question unleashed a wave of excitement among the crowd. Supporters erupted in cheers, chanting Bobi Wine’s name, prompting the NUP leader to rise and physically show appreciation by handing Lutamaguzi the Shs50,000 note—a moment that many saw as a political statement, not just a token of gratitude.

The irony, however, is not lost on those who have followed Lutamaguzi’s political journey. His early political career was closely aligned with Mengo. Over 15 years ago, he was considered a blue-eyed boy of the Kingdom. He enjoyed unrestricted access to Kingdom media outlets like CBS, and was a prominent member of Nkoba Za Mbogo, a well-known association that brings together Baganda students from Makerere University and other higher institutions of learning.

However, that relationship has since soured. Lutamaguzi has not only distanced himself from the Kingdom but has also been frozen out of prominent platforms like BBS Terefayina’s weekly political program—especially after Bobi Wine’s public fallout with his former deputy, Mathias Mpuuga, over a controversial Shs500 million “handshake” awarded by Parliament.

Since then, Lutamaguzi has grown increasingly combative, adopting an aggressive stance towards any opposition politicians perceived to be sympathetic to or in alignment with Mengo and, in particular, Katikkiro Mayiga. Among those he has publicly criticized are well-known opposition figures like Medard Segona, Joyce Bagala, and Mathias Mpuuga—all of whom have been seen as maintaining cordial or respectful relations with the Kingdom.

This hardened stance has only further endeared Lutamaguzi to Bobi Wine, whose own relationship with Mengo has long been described by insiders as tense and mistrustful. Some political observers argue that Bobi Wine, despite rarely attacking the Kabaka directly, harbors a quiet but deeply rooted resentment toward the institution of Kabakaship, which he perceives as aligned with the ruling regime.

Lutamaguzi’s combative rhetoric hasn’t stopped with Mengo either. He has also taken aim at Catholic Church leaders in Buganda, accusing them of not doing enough to support Bobi Wine. He argues that given Bobi Wine’s current standing as arguably the most politically influential Catholic in Uganda, it is only natural for the Church hierarchy in Buganda to rally behind him more publicly and decisively.

In summary, the events at the Nakaseke rally served to spotlight growing cracks in the once-unshakable alliance between Buganda Kingdom elites and prominent opposition voices. Bobi Wine’s visible appreciation of Lutamaguzi’s defiance marked a clear signal that the NUP leader is not afraid to confront traditional power structures—even those within his own cultural heritage—if he perceives them as impediments to his political ascent.

As the 2026 general elections inch closer, these political undercurrents are likely to deepen, potentially redrawing lines of loyalty and influence in Uganda’s ever-evolving political landscape.