BY AMBROSE KWERONDA…
www.mknewslink.com
As the road to the long awaited 2026 general elections keeps narrowing, a sudden uncontrollable fear or anxiety, often causing wildly unthinking behavior- panic in simple terms has started amongst politicians, more so the incumbents.
As you read this, Robert Mbabazi Kakwerere the Rukiga district LC5 Chairman has already sacked his deputy chairman, Samuel Niwandinda on accusations of insubordination.
The sacking comes after Niwandinda declared that he will contest for the same seat with Kakwerere in the 2025 National Resistance Movement (NRM)Party primaries and finally in the 2026 general elections.
Niwandinda who is also the secretary in charge of finance, planning and administration for Rukiga district council held a press conference late last month, and accused Kakwerere of suffocating efforts to have the public get updates about the performance of the district.
According to Niwandinda, ever since they assumed office in 2021, district leaders have never held a radio talk show or community gathering commonly known as Baraza to explain to the people of Rukiga how the district has performed.
He also said that no political leader has moved to communities to supervise or assess government programs like the Youth Livelihood Fund (YLP), Emyooga and the Uganda Women Entrepreneurship Programme (UWEP) among others.
Samuel also accused Kakwerere of keeping quiet as the district faces an exodus of civil servants moving out of the district due to Kakwerere’s alleged harassment.
He also claimed that the district service commission, land board, and public accounts are inactive, which has hindered service delivery.
In a letter dated February 5, 2025, addressed to the office of Rukiga District Speaker, Kakwerere confirms revoking Niwandinda’s appointment as the District Vice Chairperson as well as a member of the district executive.
Kakwerere further accuses Niwandinda of insubordination and breaking the oath of allegiance.
A letter which was seen by our reporter and signed by Kakwerere himself, reads as follows; “by the powers entrusted to me by Section 20(a) of Local Governments Act, I hereby revoke the appointment of Mr. Niwandinda Samuel as a Vice Chairperson and member of district executive due to insubordination and breaking the oath of allegiance.”
“In the meantime, the duties of the district vice chairperson shall be delegated to any member of executive and assignment of duty until the next council when a substantive vice chairperson will be presented to the council for approval,” read the letter.
When contacted Kakwerere told our reporter to only quote the letter adding that it is his right to decide who to be his vice.