Angry NRM Cadres in Buganda Demand Removal of Speaker Anita Among From Museveni Campaign Activities

Senior cadres of the National Resistance Movement (NRM) in Buganda have intensified calls for Speaker of Parliament and NRM Second National Vice Chairperson (Female), Anita Annet Among, to be withdrawn from President Yoweri Museveni’s ongoing campaign activities in the region.

Party insiders say Among’s increasing visibility and influence on the Buganda campaign trail has triggered internal unease, with concerns that her presence is undermining grassroots mobilisation, alienating local leaders, and weakening the ruling party’s prospects in a region that was once a reliable NRM stronghold.

Multiple senior NRM officials, speaking anonymously due to the sensitivity of the matter, told *Phoenix News* that Among has taken a dominant role at campaign events, often sidelining Buganda-based leaders who are more familiar with the region’s political history, cultural dynamics, and unresolved grievances.

“Buganda is no longer politically secure for the NRM,” one senior cadre said.
“When people who do not fully understand the region dominate the campaign platform, the President does not receive honest feedback from the ground.”

Calls to Adopt Busoga Campaign Model

The concerns have been echoed publicly by Hakim Kyeswa, a veteran NRM mobiliser in Buganda, who has urged the party secretariat and President Museveni to rethink the current campaign approach.

Kyeswa has proposed adopting the Busoga mobilisation model, where regional campaigns were led by locally respected figures. He pointed to former Speaker of Parliament Rebecca Alitwala Kadaga, who was allowed to lead mobilisation efforts in Busoga, helping streamline communication between the grassroots and the President.

“In Busoga, leadership was entrusted to someone who understands the people,” Kyeswa said.
“That approach worked. Buganda should be handled by Buganda leaders.”

According to Kyeswa, the Busoga strategy ensured that the President received accurate, unfiltered information directly from the grassroots—something he believes is currently missing in Buganda.

Kyotera Incident Sparks Internal Backlash

Internal tensions deepened following an incident in Kyotera where Among is accused of blocking former Vice President Edward Kiwanuka Ssekandi from greeting President Museveni at a public event.

A video of the incident, which has circulated widely on social media, sparked anger among party elders and veteran mobilisers, who described it as disrespectful and damaging to party unity.

“When party elders are humiliated in public, it weakens discipline and cohesion,” Kyeswa said in the viral footage.

Claims of Interference With District Submissions

Senior party members have also accused Among of interfering with district memoranda—documents prepared by local leaders to brief the President on district-level issues during campaign engagements.

“At rallies, districts are expected to present their concerns directly,” Kyeswa said.
“But those documents are sometimes altered or blocked, denying Buganda leaders a direct voice.”

District officials say this has created frustration among grassroots structures and weakened confidence in the campaign process.

Kyankwanzi Protocol Concerns

Another incident cited by disgruntled cadres reportedly occurred at Kyankwanzi during the launch of President Museveni’s Buganda campaign. Party insiders allege that Among attempted to invite the President to speak without first engaging Al Hajj Moses Kigongo, the NRM First National Vice Chairperson.

“This raised serious concerns about respect for party hierarchy,” a district leader said.
“It sent the wrong message to mobilisers on the ground.”

Cadres Demand Urgent Strategy Shift

As pressure mounts, senior NRM cadres are now calling for an immediate overhaul of the Buganda campaign strategy. They want mobilisation efforts to be led by Buganda-based leaders, district chairpersons, and influential cultural figures—mirroring the Busoga model.

“If the NRM wants to regain ground in Buganda, the President must hear directly from Buganda leaders,” Kyeswa said.

By press time, neither Speaker Anita Annet Among nor the NRM Secretariat had issued an official response to the claims.

Despite the internal tensions, NRM supporters continue to attend campaign activities across Buganda, even as party insiders push for a more locally driven mobilisation strategy ahead of the next electoral cycle.