Eye Media Reporter | July 5, 2026
A bitter succession battle has erupted within the NRM in Kayunga District following the death of district party chairperson and Senior Presidential Advisor for Special Duties, Moses Kalangwa, with rival camps now lobbying the party Secretariat through competing petitions.
Documents seen by Eye Media Uganda reveal that the contest has narrowed to two main camps: one backing Kalangwa’s younger brother, Augustine Tumwine, and another insisting that David Kato, the late chairman’s vice, should assume office in an acting capacity pending a by-election.
In one of the leaked resolutions, more than two-thirds of the members of the NRM District Executive Committee (DEC) appended their signatures endorsing Tumwine, who currently serves as Chairperson of the NRM Entrepreneurs League in Kayunga, to take over his late brother’s position.
The resolution argues that Tumwine is best suited to preserve Kalangwa’s vision, unite the party structures and provide continuity following the death of the influential district chairman.
In a move that underscores the widening divisions within the district party leadership, the DEC members went a step further by declaring that they would not recognise any other person as district chairperson apart from Tumwine.
The declaration, contained in the leaked petition, signals open resistance to any attempt to have another official take charge of the district before party members elect a substantive chairperson.
However, Kato has mounted his own challenge.
In a separate petition, also seen by Eye Media Uganda, Kato, together with two other DEC members, appealed to the NRM Secretariat to allow him to serve as acting district chairperson until a by-election is organised, arguing that this is consistent with the party’s leadership structure.
Kato also raised concerns over the whereabouts of the official district chairperson’s stamp, saying it has not been accounted for since Kalangwa’s death.
He asked the party’s top leadership to intervene and ensure the stamp is handed over to him so that he can effectively execute the responsibilities of the acting chairperson.
The competing petitions highlight the growing divisions within the Kayunga NRM, where emotions remain raw following Kalangwa’s death.
Supporters of Tumwine argue that handing leadership to the late chairman’s brother would comfort the bereaved family and supporters while ensuring Kalangwa’s political agenda lives on. They describe Tumwine as possessing leadership qualities similar to those of his late brother.
On the other hand, Kato’s supporters insist that party structures and established procedures should prevail over emotion, maintaining that as the elected vice chairperson, he is legally and procedurally the rightful official to steer the district until party members elect a new chairperson.
The race could become even more crowded.
Unverified reports indicate that veteran politician and NRM Elders League Chairperson Sulaiman Madada is considering joining the race, although he has not publicly declared his intentions.
Campaign posters circulating on social media have also linked Arthur Kizza, the NRM flag bearer for Bbale County MP, to the contest. His supporters argue that he has the financial muscle to fill the gap left by Kalangwa, who was widely known for bankrolling party mobilisation in the district. Neither Madada nor Kizza has officially declared their candidature.
The NRM Secretariat is yet to release the roadmap for the by-election.
Until then, what was expected to be a routine transition has turned into an intense political contest, with rival camps digging in long before party members are called to the ballot.
