Last week, Nambooze escalated the political dispute through a WhatsApp message, which, although it did not directly mention Kabanda by name, was widely interpreted as targeting him.
Just weeks after settling into their new offices, political leaders in Mukono Municipality are trading accusations of witchcraft and political sabotage, exposing deep divisions within the opposition-led administration.
Some leaders are accusing their predecessors, while others are pointing fingers at their successors. Despite the National Unity Platform (NUP) securing a dominant victory in the recent elections and taking control of Mukono Municipality, Mukono Central Division, and Goma Division, the party’s leaders have become increasingly divided, with rival camps exchanging accusations ranging from betrayal to witchcraft.
The strained relationship between Mukono Municipality MP Betty Nambooze Bakireke and the newly elected Mayor, Robert Peter Kabanda, dates back to the previous political term when Kabanda served as Mukono Central Division Chairperson. Although the two emerged from a competitive party primary process and were expected to work together after the elections, tensions have persisted.
Kabanda’s supporters believe Nambooze did not support his bid for mayor and instead backed former mayor Erisa Mukasa Nkoyoyo during the NUP primaries. After losing the party flag to Kabanda, Nkoyoyo contested as an independent candidate. Kabanda’s camp alleges that Nambooze privately funded and supported Nkoyoyo’s campaign, claims that have never been publicly substantiated.
For her part, Nambooze’s camp has repeatedly accused Kabanda of being an agent of the ruling National Resistance Movement (NRM), although no evidence has been publicly presented to support the allegations.
Speakership Vote Exposes Internal Divisions
Following their swearing-in last month, Mukono Municipality leaders convened their first council sitting to elect the Speaker for the 2026–2031 term.
NUP entered the vote with a comfortable majority, controlling 18 council seats, including the mayoralty, compared to the NRM’s six councillors. However, the outcome stunned many within the opposition.
NUP fronted Phibie Faith Babirye, who was reportedly backed by Mayor Kabanda, while the NRM supported Constantine Kanga.
In the secret ballot supervised by Senior Magistrate Jacob Osiro of Mukono Chief Magistrate’s Court, Kanga emerged victorious with 13 votes against Babirye’s 11.
The result left Kabanda visibly shocked. He subsequently postponed the appointment of his executive committee, including the Deputy Mayor and secretaries, saying he needed time to investigate what had transpired during the vote.
Kabanda reportedly accused some councillors of betraying the party, claiming they had “sold their loyalty for peanuts.”
After the swearing in ceremony which lost the vibe after the election of the speaker, members of Kabanda’s camp accused Nambooze and councillors believed to be loyal to her of collaborating with the NRM in exchange for alleged payments of about sh2 million per councillor. However, no evidence has been presented to support the claims, particularly given that the vote was conducted by secret ballot.
Nambooze’s Message Sparks Fresh Controversy
During the handover ceremony, outgoing mayor Erisa Mukasa Nkoyoyo accused Kabanda of isolating him throughout the previous term. Nkoyoyo said Kabanda never visited him during his illness, neither in hospital nor at home.
Last week, Nambooze escalated the political dispute through a WhatsApp message, which, although it did not directly mention Kabanda by name, was widely interpreted as targeting him.
In the translated message, Nambooze accused unnamed political actors of persecuting Nkoyoyo throughout his Mayoral tenure, alleging they reported him to various authorities, spread false accusations against him, and even resorted to witchcraft in pursuit of political office.
She further alleged that the same individuals had now turned their attention toward her.
“After being voted into one office, they immediately begin fighting for another. Stop the habit of destroying people’s lives. What was done to Erisa should never be done to another person. Mukono does not belong to your grandfather ‘Mukono ssi ya jjajjaawo!’,” she wrote.
Her remarks have since fueled speculation and intensified the growing political tensions within the municipality.
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Mayor Rejects Predecessor’s Office
Meanwhile, Mayor Kabanda has reportedly declined to occupy the office previously used by Nkoyoyo in the municipality’s new administration block.
Although he has not publicly explained his decision, sources claim concerns about witchcraft have been cited among the reasons for rejecting the office. Instead, Kabanda reportedly requested office space on the ground floor.
He is also said to have declined to use furniture left behind by his predecessor, prompting the municipality to begin arrangements for the procurement of new office furniture.
Nkoyoyo’s former office has since been allocated to Town Clerk Francis Byabagambi, while the Municipal Engineer has moved into the office previously occupied by the Town Clerk.
Because funds for the new furniture have not yet been secured, Kabanda is reportedly still without a permanent working office at the municipality headquarters.
More than two weeks after the May 22 swearing-in ceremony, the mayor has also not yet constituted his executive committee, raising further questions about the pace at which the new administration is settling into office.
As political infighting, allegations of betrayal, and claims of witchcraft continue to dominate discussions, Mukono Municipality’s new leadership faces mounting pressure to shift attention from internal disputes to governance and service delivery.
History of Nambooze’s Political Feuds Fellow Leaders
Nambooze’s disputes with fellow opposition leaders have not begun with Mayor Kabanda. During a previous political term, she was embroiled in a prolonged feud with former Mukono Municipality Mayor George Fred Kagimu.
The relationship between the two leaders deteriorated significantly, and after repeated attempts to mend ties reportedly failed, Kagimu eventually chose to challenge Nambooze politically in subsequent elections. Their rivalry left lasting divisions within Mukono’s political landscape, with critics arguing that some development initiatives and public service programmes stalled as the municipality’s top political leaders remained locked in conflict.
After Kagimu’s political defeat, Nambooze’s focus shifted to the then Mukono District Chairperson, Rev. Dr. Peter Bakaluba Mukasa. The two leaders maintained a strained relationship throughout much of the last political term.
Bakaluba on several occasions accused Nambooze of undermining his leadership by fostering divisions within the district council, claims he said made it difficult for him to effectively execute his duties as the district’s political head. The political rivalry later spilled into electoral politics when Bakaluba challenged Nambooze for the Mukono Municipality parliamentary seat. Nambooze ultimately retained the seat, defeating Bakaluba in the contest.
With tensions now appearing to have shifted to Mayor Kabanda, observers say it remains unclear how the relationship between the municipality’s two most influential opposition leaders will evolve.
However, political analysts and residents alike warn that unless the differences are addressed early, the biggest losers could be the people of Mukono, who risk missing out on improved service delivery as leaders focus on internal political battles rather than governance.
