Shock in NRM as Museveni Adviser Moses Karangwa Perishes in Grisly Kayunga Crash

The death of Moses Karangwa Kaliisa, a Senior Presidential Adviser on Special Duties and influential National Resistance Movement (NRM) figure in Kayunga District, has sent shockwaves through political and business circles following a fatal road accident in Kayunga on Sunday evening.

Preliminary information indicates that Karangwa died after being involved in a serious motor crash at Ssukka Village near the Lake Oil area along the Kayunga route. Sources familiar with the incident said the accident occurred in the evening hours and was so severe that he reportedly died instantly at the scene.

By Monday morning, police had not yet released an official statement detailing the circumstances surrounding the crash, leaving many unanswered questions about what exactly led to the fatal accident.

Karangwa, who had recently risen into the inner circles of government operations, was widely known as a powerful grassroots mobiliser within the ruling NRM party. His political influence stretched across both Buganda and Busoga sub-regions, where he had spent years building networks among local leaders, youth groups, and party structures.

His death comes at a time when he was increasingly being viewed as one of the ruling party’s emerging influential figures in central Uganda.

Only months ago, Karangwa had expressed interest in contesting for the powerful position of NRM Vice Chairperson for the Central Region, a race that attracted significant attention within party ranks. However, he later withdrew from the contest under circumstances that fueled intense political speculation.

Political insiders claimed that his decision followed a series of high-level engagements with President Yoweri Museveni at State House Entebbe. Those engagements reportedly paved the way for his eventual appointment as Senior Presidential Adviser on Special Duties, a role that elevated his profile within government circles.

Before shifting much of his political focus to Kayunga District, Karangwa had established himself as a key NRM mobiliser in Jinja, where he previously served as NRM Chairperson for Jinja Municipality. During his tenure there, he gained a reputation as a vocal defender of the ruling party and an aggressive grassroots organiser who often spearheaded mobilisation campaigns during elections and party activities.

Beyond politics, Karangwa was also a businessman with growing influence in the media industry. He owned Sauti FM, widely recognised as Kayunga’s only major radio station, which became an important platform for local political discourse and community engagement. He was also linked to several other business ventures across the central region.

News of his death quickly spread across social media and political circles Sunday night, triggering an outpouring of grief from NRM supporters, local leaders, and residents who described him as a fearless mobiliser and influential power broker.

His sudden death is expected to create a significant vacuum within NRM structures in Kayunga and surrounding areas, where he had steadily consolidated influence over recent years.

As family members, political allies, and supporters await an official police communication, attention is now turning to funeral arrangements and the political implications his death could leave behind within the ruling party’s central region networks.