Uganda’s Speaker of Parliament, Anita Among, has accused Butambala County legislator Muhammad Muwanga Kivumbi of neglecting his constituents, saying he has taken voters for granted by investing outside the constituency and opposing government initiatives.
Addressing a campaign rally at Kikambwe Village in Ngando, Butambala District on Monday, Among urged residents to consider Kivumbi’s record before voting in the January 15, 2026, general election that will decide the country’s next president and parliament.
‘A leader should lead by example. At the very least, they should have a home in their constituency. Area MP Kivumbi lives like an internally displaced person here. He sleeps at his mother’s house, and even that land belongs to UNRA; the government has already paid for it, and I want UNRA to come and claim it.,’ Among claimed.
She added: ‘Even if you are in opposition, you should be able to develop. At the very least, you should build something-say a hotel-so the people you represent have opportunities. Instead of developing his area, he has built a hotel and recreational centre in a wetland in Kampala.’
Among further decampaigned Kivumbi telling the rally that ‘You cannot have a leader who doesn’t think about you, opposes whatever the government says all the time, yet the decisions taken are for the good of the people of Uganda.’
Kivumbi’s chief campaigner, Baker Ssemikka, has dismissed the Speaker’s comments as false and politically motivated.
‘Whoever gave Among such false information wanted to expose her ignorance about the constituency. Kivumbi owns a house in the constituency, next to the family home,’ Ssemikka said.
‘He has procured a water bowser, an ambulance and tents – all benefiting the people. On investing outside Butambala, he is free to do so; even Among owns buildings in Kampala despite representing Bukedea women,’ he argued.
‘Take no gamble’
Among was speaking at a rally which featured President Museveni, the National Resistance Movement (NRM) flag bearer seeking re-election to extend his rule to 45 years.
Museveni cautioned voters against inexperienced opposition politicians, whom he said obstruct government development programs.
‘Don’t take decisions by gambling which you will later regret. Vote the NRM to be sure because our track record on development is known and seen,’ he said, accompanied by First Lady and Education Minister Janet Museveni.
‘What we are talking about are not promises; we show that we have delivered over the years, and now we are adding on to our promises,’ he added.
Speaking a day later, Museveni also proposed the enactment of a ‘right to recall’ law, allowing citizens to remove non-performing leaders before their terms expire, citing absenteeism among opposition politicians in Mpigi District.
‘.We can discuss it. Instead of waiting for five years, we can use the law as citizens, and we recall him if he fails to deliver on what he is supposed to do even before the five years elapse,’ Museveni said.
During the 2021 election, National Unity Platform (NUP) leader Robert Kyagulanyi, aka Bobi Wine, defeated Museveni in both Butambala and Mpigi, with opposition candidates taking all parliamentary and LCV positions.
In Butambala, Bobi Wine won 26,806 votes (73.27 percent) against Museveni’s 9,379 (25.63 percent), while in Mpigi, he garnered 60,815 votes (72.07 percent) versus Museveni’s 22,333 (26.47 percent).