Did Kadaga tell Busoga Voters to Support NUP in 2026?

Rt Hon. Rebecca Alitwala Kadaga arrived in Jinja during her Busoga homecoming tour.

On September 19, 2025, a post on X by The Kampala Journal (@KampalaJournal) stated: "Ex Speaker Rebecca Kadaga has officially directed the people of Busoga to vote NUP candidates from presidential to local government level. A tough-talking Kadaga who was welcomed by mainly NUP supporters broke down names of NRM MPs who must be voted out in 2026 #KJNews." The post received over 160 likes and 4,800 views.

We have found this report to be false and misleading.

A social media post by the Kampala Journal falsely claims that Rebecca Kadaga has directed the people of Busoga to vote for NUP candidates

The claim that former Speaker of Parliament Rebecca Kadaga instructed Busoga residents to vote for National Unity Platform (NUP) candidates in the 2026 elections is false. Kadaga, during her "homecoming" tour in Busoga on September 19, 2025, reaffirmed her loyalty to the ruling National Resistance Movement (NRM) and urged voters to support NRM candidates who backed her in recent party elections. The crowd welcoming her was diverse, including NRM supporters, opposition figures, and cultural leaders, not predominantly NUP. There is no evidence she named specific NRM MPs to be voted out, though she vowed to politically marginalize internal rivals within NRM.

On September 19, 2025, Rebecca Kadaga, Uganda’s First Deputy Prime Minister and a prominent NRM figure, conducted a "homecoming" tour in Busoga sub-region, spanning Jinja and Kamuli districts. The event followed her loss in the NRM Central Executive Committee (CEC) elections to Speaker Anita Among, which fueled speculation about her political future. The Kampala Journal’s X post claimed Kadaga defected to NUP, was welcomed mainly by NUP supporters, and targeted specific NRM MPs for defeat in 2026.

Did Kadaga direct Busoga voters to support NUP candidates ?

Evidence shows Kadaga explicitly reaffirmed her commitment to NRM during her tour. At Jinja Agricultural Showgrounds, she stated,

"I want to assure you that I am still NRM and nobody shall push me out of NRM."

In Kamuli, she urged voters to "vote for NRM flag bearers, especially those who stood with me in the elections." She dismissed defection rumors, saying,

"I still feel the energy to continue with NRM, even though I was cheated."

Her call to vote out "those fighting her" targeted internal NRM rivals (likely supporters of Anita Among), not an endorsement of NUP or opposition candidates. Earlier Kampala Journal posts speculating a "switch to NUP" lack substantiation.

Was Kadaga welcomed by "mainly NUP supporters"?

The welcome in Jinja and Kamuli drew thousands, including NRM supporters, opposition figures (NUP, FDC, People’s Front for Freedom), religious leaders, and cultural figures, not predominantly NUP. NUP’s Eastern Uganda coordinator, Andrew Kaluuya, led a delegation to pay tribute to Kadaga’s regional contributions, alongside FDC and PFF representatives. Some youth chanted NUP slogans ("People Power") and wore NUP colours, reflecting local sympathy post her CEC loss, but NRM loyalists, like MP Kissa Steven Bakubalwayo, mobilised the bulk of the crowd. Clashes with police in Jinja involved her supporters broadly, not NUP specifically.

Did Kadaga "break down names of NRM MPs who must be voted out in 2026"?

No credible source reports Kadaga naming specific NRM MPs for defeat. She vowed to ensure "those fighting her in the recent NRM elections will regret it" and be voted out in 2026, but this referred broadly to internal rivals, not a detailed list. Her criticism targeted Busoga Kingdom Premier Joseph Muvawala (not an MP) for allegedly undermining her and blocking projects like a Jinja airport. She also lamented divisions among Busoga politicians weakening her in past races (e.g., 2021 Speakership, 2025 CEC) but focused on unity within NRM.

Kadaga’s tour was a strategic move to reassert her influence in Busoga after her NRM CEC loss, countering narratives of diminished clout. The event drew cross-party attendance, reflecting her regional stature as "Mama Busoga," but her speeches consistently emphasized NRM loyalty and support for allied candidates in the 2026 primaries and general elections. The claim’s misrepresentation likely stems from The Kampala Journal’s pattern of speculative posts, possibly to drive engagement amid 2026 election bid. NUP’s gains in Busoga (e.g., 2021 by-elections) and Kadaga’s popularity may have fueled the narrative, but her actions align with intra-NRM maneuvering, not defection.

The claim risks inflaming NRM divisions and falsely boosting NUP’s prospects in Busoga, a swing region critical for 2026. Kadaga’s influence could sway NRM primaries against her rivals, but no evidence supports an opposition shift.

The claim that Rebecca Kadaga directed Busoga voters to support NUP candidates in 2026 is 'false'. She reaffirmed her NRM allegiance, urged support for loyal NRM candidates, and was welcomed by a diverse crowd, not mainly NUP supporters. No evidence supports her naming specific NRM MPs for defeat, though she targeted internal rivals broadly. We rate this claim as False and advise caution with unverified social media reports ahead of the 2026 elections.