Ofwono Opondo
HABARI DAILY I Kampala, Uganda I Having started his media journey at New Vision many years ago, former government spokesperson Ofwono Opondo has ended his long association with the state-owned newspaper’s opinion pages following a personal disagreement over its editorial direction.
Opondo, who represents older persons from eastern Uganda in Parliament, confirmed on Monday, November 2, 2026, that his decision to stop writing his weekly column was entirely his own, dismissing speculation that newspaper management had forced him out because of his increasingly critical articles on the country’s political leadership.
His departure followed a two-week absence from the newspaper’s opinion pages in late October, sparking debate on social media about whether his outspoken criticism of Chief of Defence Forces Gen Muhoozi Kainerugaba and supporters of the Patriotic League of Uganda (PLU) had made him unwelcome at the publication.
However, Opondo was quick to dismiss claims that he had been banned, insisting that he had voluntarily withdrawn after developing differences with the newspaper over its editorial approach.
“The decision to not write in the last two weekends is entirely my own after I disagreed with a fickle editorial slant,” Opondo wrote on social media.
His explanation suggests that the disagreement went beyond the publication of individual articles and touched on his understanding of the newspaper’s editorial direction and the changes taking place within its leadership.
The clarification came after government critic Kakwenza Rukirabashaija alleged that New Vision had dropped Opondo because of his criticism of Muhoozi and his political allies.
Kakwenza claimed that New Vision chief executive officer Don Wanyama had made the decision to protect his position and maintain good relations with the army chief. He also circulated a screenshot purporting to identify Wanyama as a registered member of PLU, the pressure group chaired by Muhoozi.
However, Kakwenza did not provide evidence that Wanyama had ordered Opondo’s removal. More importantly, Opondo’s public response contradicted the suggestion that management had terminated his column or prohibited him from writing.
Nevertheless, the timing of his departure has attracted attention because of the increasingly heated political debate surrounding President Yoweri Museveni’s succession and Muhoozi’s reported ambitions to contest the 2031 presidential election.
In recent months, Opondo has increasingly used his newspaper column and public appearances to challenge the political campaign promoting the army chief as Museveni’s possible successor.
In an October 5, 2026, New Vision article titled Like or hate him: Gen Kahinda Otafiire serves it deliciously hot, Opondo defended retired Gen Kahinda Otafiire following his criticism of the country’s security leadership.
He used the opportunity to question the assumptions underlying Muhoozi’s political ambitions, warning that those campaigning for his presidency were underestimating the obstacles ahead.
Opondo argued that the silence of many Ugandans on the succession debate should not be mistaken for support, cautioning Muhoozi’s supporters against arrogance and the assumption that the country’s political future could be determined by a small group of individuals.
His criticism also extended to the conduct of security personnel and the exercise of state power.
In June 2026, he questioned the alleged mistreatment and public humiliation of detainees by security officers, particularly the practice of stripping suspects naked, photographing them and exposing them to public ridicule.
He warned those exercising state authority against returning Uganda to the human rights abuses associated with the governments of former presidents Idi Amin and Milton Obote.
Opondo subsequently intensified his criticism of the succession campaign during an appearance on Capital FM’s Capital Gang programme on October 24, 2026.
He questioned why some Cabinet ministers were endorsing Muhoozi for the presidency when Museveni had only recently secured another term in office.
He described the endorsements as a vote of no confidence in Museveni’s leadership, arguing that campaigning for his successor while he was still in power could undermine the authority of the sitting President.
He further warned that the succession debate could generate political uncertainty and undermine investor confidence, particularly if it created divisions within the ruling National Resistance Movement (NRM).
Opondo maintained that Uganda’s next president should demonstrate greater tolerance, embrace dialogue and respect differing political opinions instead of relying on intimidation or force.
These increasingly outspoken positions have fuelled speculation that his exit from New Vision was connected to the political sensitivities surrounding his commentary.
However, the former government spokesperson has maintained that his decision was personal and stemmed from his disagreement with what he described as the newspaper’s fickle editorial slant.
His departure is particularly significant given his historical association with New Vision, where he began his media journey before establishing himself as a prominent political commentator and later serving as government spokesperson.
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