Speaker Anita Among
At least 12 politicians allied to Speaker of Parliament Anita Among were voted out of Parliament in Busoga sub-region during the January 15, 2026 general elections, underscoring a significant political setback for the Speaker and a resurgence of influence by First Deputy Prime Minister Rebecca Kadaga.
Days before polling day, a high-level National Resistance Movement (NRM) mobilisation meeting was held in Iganga District. The meeting was organised by Anita Among in her capacity as NRM Vice Chairperson (Female) and was presided over by President Yoweri Museveni.
Notably absent from the meeting were Kadaga and State Minister for Lands Persis Namuganza, both senior political figures from Busoga who have publicly fallen out with Among. Their absence was widely interpreted as a sign of deepening factional divisions within the ruling party in the region.
The election results appear to have favoured the Kadaga-aligned camp.
Among the high-profile figures allied to Anita Among who lost their parliamentary seats are:
- Mariam Naigaga
- Abdul Katuntu
- Paul Akamba
- Fred Gume
- Kayanga Watongola
- Asuman Basalirwa
- Moses Balyeku
- Nathan Igeme Nabeeta
- Bwire Sanoni Nadeba
- Brandon Kintu
- Ismail Badhogi
- Milton Muwuma
Out of the Speaker’s known political allies in Busoga, only two—Solomon Siryanyi and Moses Walyomu—managed to retain their parliamentary seats.
Political analysts say the outcome reflects a clear rejection of Anita Among’s mobilisation efforts in the sub-region and a reaffirmation of Kadaga’s longstanding grassroots networks and political capital among the Basoga electorate.
Although Anita Among had intensified her presence and campaigning in Busoga in the final stretch of the campaign, the results suggest that voters aligned more closely with leaders perceived as having deeper historical ties to the region.
Observers describe the outcome as a decisive moment in Busoga’s internal NRM power dynamics, with Kadaga emerging politically strengthened while Among’s influence appears significantly diminished.
The results further highlight persistent factionalism within the ruling party and demonstrate that high-level endorsement does not always translate into electoral success on the ground.
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