Kadaga addressing supporters after she picked nomination forms for MP recently
HABARI DAILY I Kampala, Uganda I The First Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for East African Community Affairs, Rebecca Alitwala Kadaga, has moved to quash speculation that she intends to challenge the incumbent for Uganda’s presidency in the 2026 elections.
There were genuine fears within the rulling NRM party that her stance would divide the Busoga vote between her and President Museveni, to the advantage of the opposition.
A statement released from her office this week dismissed as “fake and misleading” posters circulating on social media suggesting that Kadaga would appear on the presidential ballot.
“I want to make it absolutely clear that I have no plan to contest for President. My only focus is seeking re-election as Woman Member of Parliament for Kamuli District,” Kadaga stressed in the statement signed by her press secretary, Bishop Samuel.
The clarification comes on the heels of recent political wrangles within the ruling National Resistance Movement (NRM) party. Last month, Kadaga clashed with President Yoweri Museveni and Speaker of Parliament Anita Among during the Central Executive Committee (CEC) meeting that decided the race for the party’s Second National Vice Chairperson for Female.
Kadaga lost that contest to Speaker Among, a result that fueled divisions within the party and sparked discontent among her loyal supporters in Busoga.
Sources in the region say mobilisations are already underway to stage a grand welcome rally for Kadaga, a sign that her grassroots influence remains intact despite the high-level setbacks in the NRM hierarchy.
Political observers argue that the fake presidential posters may have been circulated to exploit these tensions, but Kadaga’s statement seeks to restore calm and keep her political brand anchored in Busoga.
Her office has cautioned the public against falling for what it called the work of “unscrupulous actors bent on spreading lies,” urging Ugandans to rely only on official communication about her political path.
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