Sedrack Kaguta, President Museveni’s brother, asserts his qualifications for the NRM’s top regional position, countering criticism from Dr. Chris Baryomunsi.
Kaguta’s bid for the Western Region Vice Chairpersonship pits him against high-profile contenders, including incumbent Dr. Baryomunsi (also Minister of ICT) and outspoken MP Michael Mawanda.
Dr. Baryomunsi earlier today questioned Kaguta’s readiness for the role, stating he lacked "experience beyond Kiruhura." Kaguta swiftly retorted during a press briefing: Leadership isn’t measured by geography but by results. For 20 years, I’ve delivered 99.8% of Kiruhura’s votes to NRM in every election. That is the loyalty I will replicate across the Western Region". His record positions him as a formidable mobilizer in President Museveni’s political heartland.
The race for Western Region Vice Chairperson has emerged as one of NRM’s most contentious, drawing 11 aspirants, including
Dr. Chris Baryomunsi (Incumbent seeking re-election)
Michael Mawanda Maranga(Igara East MP, advocating generational change)
Blaise Kamugisha (Grassroots mobilizer pledging "renewed unity")
Jonard Asiimwe (Engineer campaigning on party cohesion)
Kaguta framed his campaign as a mission to "unify the party’s grassroots" and resist fragmentation. He emphasised bridging ethnic divides and leveraging his familial ties to the President to "stabilise NRM’s core values" amid rising internal tensions.
The Central Executive Committee (CEC) is NRM’s supreme decision-making organ, responsible for:
1. Policy Formulation: Crafting the party’s national agenda.
2. Candidate Selection: Choosing flag bearers for presidential and parliamentary elections.
3. Disciplinary Oversight: Enforcing party discipline and arbitration.
Regional Vice Chairpersons like the one Kaguta seeks act as kingmakers, controlling mobilisation and resource allocation in their zones. Analysts view this contest as critical to shaping NRM’s future amid succession debates.
The Western Region, NRM’s historical stronghold, faces unprecedented internal competition. Mawanda’s alliance with the Patriotic League of Uganda (PLU), which backs Gen. Muhoozi Kainerugaba, contrasts sharply with Kaguta’s emphasis on continuity under Museveni. Kaguta’s rebuttal to Baryomunsi underscored this divide: "Experience isn’t holding titles—it’s delivering victories. My rivals fear the will of the grassroots".
Delegates will vote at NRM’s National Conference (August 27–28, Kololo), where 24,000 delegates will elect CEC members by secret ballot. Kaguta’s deep roots in Kiruhura and defiance against establishment criticism position him as a disruptive force. Yet, with Baryomunsi’s national profile and Mawanda’s reformist agenda, the race remains fiercely unpredictable.
