The recent NRM regional elections in Buganda have redrawn the party’s political map and highlighted the tactical edge of Haruna Kyeyune Kasolo, the newly elected NRM regional chairperson.
Rather than celebrating victory and sidelining his opponents, Kasolo has opted for a more calculated approach: extending olive branches to his rival Moses Kaliisa Karangwa, while subtly containing his influence.
Kasolo, who swept all Buganda sub-regions—including Mukono, Karangwa’s home turf—framed the outcome as a decisive rejection of his opponent.
“The elections left them paralyzed. Probably he injected a lot of money but his expectations turned out otherwise. He should concede defeat unless he is professing that he does not belong to the NRM. In NRM, what people decide is what we consider,” Kasolo told supporters in Masaka.
Yet in the same breath, Kasolo unveiled a series of roles for Karangwa: membership on mobilization committees, oversight on land matters, and the delicate responsibility of representing the party at funerals and condolence visits.
By exploiting Karangwa’s experience in land disputes and positioning him as the party’s emissary in times of grief, Kasolo keeps his rival visible but carefully managed—relevant to the party, but without independent power to mount a comeback.
The move demonstrates Kasolo’s broader strategy: absorb dissenters into roles that serve the party’s machinery, while neutralizing their capacity for rebellion.
A Wider Battle for Buganda
The Buganda contest was never just about two men. It was a test of whether the NRM could make fresh inroads into a region historically loyal to the opposition.
Kasolo has quickly cast his triumph as a launchpad to “liberate” Buganda, drawing parallels with northern and eastern Uganda, where entrenched opposition support eventually shifted toward the ruling party.
“If you want to feed the government, you must also feed service delivery. But with the opposition, you will get nothing because their duty is to fight government,” he said, urging Buganda voters to reconsider their allegiance.
By portraying opposition leadership as a stumbling block to development and access to government programs, Kasolo is sharpening a message aimed at disillusioned voters.
His balancing act—disciplining rivals while positioning the NRM as Buganda’s path to progress—signals how he intends to expand the party’s footprint in the region.
English 