Overview:
The intraparty wrangles centre on State Minister for Water Aisha Ssekindi and former Defence Minister Vincent Bamulangaki Ssempijja, whose political rivalry has reportedly spilt into physical confrontations between their respective camps.
Tensions continue to simmer within the National Resistance Movement (NRM) in Kalungu District, where the party’s local structures remain fractured by bitter post-election disputes that have triggered violent clashes among rival supporters.
The intraparty wrangles centre on State Minister for Water Aisha Ssekindi and former Defence Minister Vincent Bamulangaki Ssempijja, whose political rivalry has reportedly spilt into physical confrontations between their respective camps.
In the most recent elections, Ssekindi retained her position as Kalungu District Woman Member of Parliament, while Ssempijja failed to reclaim the Kalungu East parliamentary seat he lost in the 2021 polls.
Reports from party members show that the district has witnessed repeated incidents of violence since the January 15 general elections. Several NRM supporters are said to have sustained injuries during clashes linked to the ongoing factional disputes.
Benon Ssejjengo, the NRM Mobilisation Secretary for Lukaya Town Council, says the situation remains tense, attributing the instability to the failure by the two senior leaders to reconcile their supporters after the elections.
He alleges that tensions escalated following Ssempijja’s electoral defeat, accusing members of his campaign team of engaging in violent retaliation against Ssekindi’s supporters, whom they blame for his loss. According to Ssejjengo, at least six people have suffered injuries in clashes arising from the rivalry since the January polls.
Abraham Ddungu, the NRM General Secretary for Bulawula Ward in Lwabenge Sub-county and one of the victims of the confrontations, claims that Ssempijja’s campaign team targeted individuals perceived to have opposed him.
Ddungu argues that divisions within the party deepened after controversial primaries, alleging that dissatisfaction over the selection of the NRM flagbearer for the Woman MP race prompted many members to back Ssekindi, who contested as an independent candidate. He has appealed to the party’s top leadership to urgently intervene, warning that the escalating internal conflicts could weaken the NRM’s standing in the district.
Aisha Ssekindi, the incumbent Kalungu District Woman MP, dismisses claims that she is responsible for the unrest, describing the conflict as a deliberate attempt by “selfish individuals” to tarnish her image and portray her as aligned with the political opposition. She maintains that the tensions stem from grievances surrounding what she describes as irregularly conducted party primaries, which she says sparked anger and frustration among her supporters.
Vincent Ssempijja has denied allegations that he sanctioned violence, urging anyone with grievances to formally report the incidents to police for investigation.
“I am one of the key promoters of the NRM. Our party emphasises discipline and patriotism. I cannot act contrary to those values,” he said, adding that he has no intention of prolonging disagreements beyond the elections.
The NRM ticket for the Kalungu District Woman MP race was awarded to Hellen Nakeeya, who finished third in a contest that attracted four candidates.
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