Tension Escalates in Rukungiri District NRM camp, Gen. Muhwezi opts out of DEC leadership as Gen. Tumukunde penetrates grassroots

RUKUNGIRI – The country is preparing to hold the 2026 general elections and tension is rising among the political divide. The ruling National Resistance Movement (NRM) party has already released its electoral road map and soon they will go for primaries to elect flag bearers for the various positions.

The situation is even more tense in Rukungiri, and sources indicate that for a long NRM leadership in the district has been having issues internally.

These range from in fights that have since escalated into unhealing misunderstandings starting from to District Executive Committee (DEC) that has been in the hands of the current security minister, Mj. Gen. (Rtd) Jim Muhwezi who doubles as the Member of Parliament for Rujumbura constituency.

A well-placed source said that Gen. Muhwezi no longer looks eye to eye with his vice chairperson Adrewson Kateebire, the former Rukungiri district LC5 chairperson.

The source further states that their misunderstanding dates back to 2016 when Gen. Muhwezi was kicked out of Parliament by FDCs’ Fred Turyamuhweza.  The source revealed that, while Gen. Muhwezi was out of Parliament, his deputy chairperson was the LC5 boss, and it was during this time that the district roads Committee (DRC) was  operationalized.

As the District local government chairperson, Kateebire was entitled to nominate the district roads committee. We have also learnt that Gen Muhwezi later approached Kateebire and commanded him to nominate him as a chairperson if not a member. Kateebire is said to have ignored the requests made by the former NRA combatant but rather nominated his rival Turyamuhweza. This allegedly angered Gen.Muhwezi hence blocking ties with his fellow NRM comrade.

Meanwhile, before this, it is also alleged that Muhwezi had been in bad books with NRM DEC Secretary, Dr. Alex Kamugisha and the actions of Kateebire worsened the operation of NRM in the strict.

In trying to interrogate their misunderstanding genesis, we have been told that Dr. Kamugisha became bitter after several attempts to inform Gen. Jim Muhwezi about the structure organisation of NRM structures in the district.

Apparently Dr. Kamugisha severely coerced Gen. Muhwezi to have DEC meetings but latter only gave him a deaf ear.  This angered Dr Kamugisha and couldn’t maintain the relationship because he (Gen. Muhwezi) mismanaged the party leadership.

These misunderstandings and disagreements would later lead to the poor performance in the 2018 Rukungiri District Woman MP by-elections that saw Betty Muzanira trouncing Hon. Winfred Matsiko.

This according to a source angered President Museveni who allegedly had injected over Shs5 billion in the by-election.

More so, things were not easy in 2020, while he (Gen. Muhwezi) tried to regain Rujumbura. This publication has learnt, Gen. Muhwezi intercepted a young vibrant NRM carder Ambrose Kibuka who had already penetrated the grassroots. He (Jim Muhwezi) convinced Kibuka to vvy for the NRM district chairmanship but also rallied behind in his bid for Rujumbura constituency seat on condition that Muhwezi would support Kibuka in his bid for Rukungiri district NRM chairmanship.

Unfortunately, these elections never took place and Gen. Muhwezi has ever since been; Rukungiri district NRM chairperson, Rujumbura Constituency MP, Minister for Security, and NRM CEC member representing veterans.

With these positions, it’s rumoured that Jim never rewarded Kibuka.

In addition, several voices have it that Kibuka was promised the throne after five years (2021-2031) after Gen. Muhwezi’s retirement.

It also said that after becoming minister of security at one point Jim Muhwezi allegedly promised Kibuka that he would help him meet the president, a thing that never materialised.

We have since learnt that Kibuka has since moved on and is currently busy in the grassroots preparing to unsit Gen. Muhwezi come 2026.

Information reaching our news desk has learnt that Lt. Gen. (Rtd) Henry Tumukunde is camping in the District eyeing Rukungiri Municipality MP but also the District’s NRM top leadership.

We have been told that Tumukunde is doing everything possible to dethrone Gen.Muhwezi.

Our ears on the ground have it that Tumukunde can unite district leadership and do better than Gen. Muhwezi.

Gen.Muhwezi’s camp are aware that they can’t win this battle and to avoid this humiliation, they are back to square one, and Muhwezi is trying to convince his former comrade Kibuka to abandon his grassroots mobilisation for Rujumbura Constituency and express his interest in NRM chairmanship promising him support. Political pundits have since described it as the best strategy to tactically eliminate Kibuka from the general elections since NRM structural leaders are nearer following their roadmap. They allude that if Kibuka goes for NRM chairperson and loses or wins he will not vvy for Rujumbura NRM constituency primaries with Rukanirwa and Gen. Muhwezi.

FACTS ON THE GROUND

Reliable information coming to our news desk indicates that much as Muhwezi has been a kingmaker in the politics of Rukungiri district, he has done little to unite NRM members in the district but rather used the strategy of silencing those with divergent views. They allege that Muhwezi has mastered the art of compromising and frustrating opponents. They added that they were surprised to see him recently at the home of Dr. Kamugisha attending a certain function.

The same event was attended by the former Rukungiri district LC5 Chairperson Adrewson Kateebire. This has since been termed as an act of false pretence by Gen. Muhwezi

On his considerations to front Ambrose Kibuka for NRM district chairmanship, information from  the ground indicate that most NRM members are now determined to support Gen. Tumukunde, saying that Kibuka is still a junior in leadership and can’t take the mantle.

We have been reliably informed that after the fall of Gen. Muhwezi in 2016, electorates thought he had learnt a lesson hence his return in 2021. On the contrary,, he couldn’t and they have now seen the deterioration of service delivery in; health services, road networks, lack of electricity, and education among others. They are therefore determined to show him the exit come 2026.

In trying to understand Gen. Muhwezi, a well-known man in NRM politics, pundits have revealed that the retired Luwero bush war combatant is no longer in good books with the ‘Big man’ citing the fall was way back from the Global fund issues. Apparently his wife Susan played a pivotal role in his ministerial appointment position in 2021. They added that after getting the position, Susan felt relaxed hence giving less attention to the electorates. It is said that the struggle to get a ministerial position was lobbied by his wife but not as a reward of the NRM performance in the district as many thought.

Another source also said that Rukungiri could go back to opposition in 2026, with the incarceration of Kiiza Besigye the recent attack on Rukungiri municipality MP Elias Rutahigwa and another incident on Medius Kaharata are indicators that both the Woman MP and Rukungiri municipality seats may fall back to the opposition. More so, if misunderstandings are not settled in Rujumbura and Muhwezi’s opponent comes back as an independent while Turyamuhweza comes as FDC, this will divide NRM support hence Turyamuhweza is likely to trounce NRM. Whereas in Rubaabo Namanya Naboth is still confirmable with no threats.

We will keep all our tabs on, but it is certain that Gen. Muhwezi is headed for a hard time and may soon be forced into retirement in Rukungiri politics.