A Ugandan Member of Parliament who recently joined the ruling National Resistance Movement (NRM) has retracted his earlier concession of defeat in the party’s primaries, claiming the vote was marred by irregularities.
Dr Twaha Kagabo, the incumbent MP for Bukoto South in Lwengo District, had on 17 July publicly accepted the outcome of the NRM parliamentary primaries, congratulated his opponent, Hajji Muyanja Mbabaali, and pledged his support. However, less than two weeks later, the legislator has made a dramatic U-turn, alleging electoral malpractice and vowing to contest the 2026 general election as an independent candidate.
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Posting on social media platform X, formerly known as Twitter, Kagabo accused unnamed individuals of manipulating the primary election. “NRM supporters in Bukoto South, Lwengo District, have said that we have a duty to ensure that there are consequences to stealing votes in party primaries,” he wrote.
He added that the decision to run independently was influenced by pressure from his supporters, who insisted their voices must be respected. Kagabo also revealed that he will use a ball as his campaign symbol in the upcoming election.
Despite repeated media inquiries, Kagabo declined to elaborate on why he had initially conceded, directing reporters to his social media account for further details.
In the 2025 NRM primaries, Kagabo was defeated by Hajji Mbabaali, who won 4,965 votes—representing 61.78%—while Kagabo polled 2,501 votes (31%). Following the loss, Kagabo initially praised the democratic process and urged his followers to unite behind the winning candidate.
“As a democrat and loyal member of the NRM, I respect the will of the people,” he had said in his earlier statement, calling for party unity to strengthen NRM’s presence in the Greater Masaka region.
Dr Kagabo, a medical doctor by profession, was first elected to Parliament in 2021 under the National Unity Platform (NUP) banner. His relationship with the opposition party deteriorated in 2022 after he attempted to return 40 million Ugandan shillings he said he received under unclear circumstances, allegedly linked to the Speaker of Parliament.
The move sparked a probe, leading to his arrest by parliamentary police and interrogation by the Inspectorate of Government. Although he was later cleared of wrongdoing, he was required to issue a public apology for what Parliament deemed a baseless accusation.
Kagabo’s political realignment began soon after. In May 2025, he officially joined the NRM after meetings with President Yoweri Museveni and members of the Patriotic League of Uganda, citing a newfound appreciation for the ruling party’s accomplishments.
His recent claims of election fraud now place him among over 380 NRM aspirants reportedly challenging the outcomes of the party’s primaries.
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