EDITOR
Rubabo County legislator and People’s Front for Freedom (PFF) flag bearer, Hon. Naboth Namanya, has finally broken his silence over long-standing allegations linking him to the distribution of NRM campaign materials in Rubabo County an admission that has sent shockwaves through opposition ranks and deepened concerns over his political loyalty.
Speaking on Tuesday at the burial of the late John Twinomujuni in Kisa Parish, formerly Katonya, Nyakishe Sub-county, Hon. Namanya openly acknowledged that he received a full lorry of NRM T-shirts, which he has been distributing during his political rallies across Rubabo County.
In a video recording now widely circulating on social media, the Rubabo legislator attempted to justify his actions using a controversial analogy, stating that “when you have two children and one kills the other, you cannot order that the remaining one also be killed.” He went on to argue that since his political mentor and PFF founder, Dr. Col. Kiiza Besigye, is currently in prison, he has chosen to align himself with the incumbent President, H.E. Yoweri Kaguta Museveni.
Hon. Namanya further remarked that “a country cannot be without a president,” adding that he continues to “move with” President Museveni, whom he described as “his president,” despite being an opposition legislator. He boldly defended the distribution of President Museveni’s T-shirts, challenging critics to take him to court if they believe his actions constitute a criminal offence.
This public admission has intensified scrutiny surrounding Hon. Namanya, who has for months been under the spotlight from PFF leaders, party supporters, and opposition activists in both Rubabo County and the wider Rukungiri District. Many have persistently questioned who supplied the NRM campaign materials, how they were obtained, and why they were being distributed by an opposition candidate, especially in a constituency that already has an official NRM flag bearer who, according to party insiders, has allegedly not received such materials from the NRM Secretariat.
To many within PFF, Hon. Namanya’s remarks are being interpreted not merely as political pragmatism, but as a clear ideological surrender and a troubling sign of wavering commitment to the values and struggle that birthed the opposition movement.
Hon. Namanya, who is seeking a second term as Rubabo County MP, first entered Parliament in the 2021 general elections, where he defeated former legislator Hon. Mary Paula Turyahikayo on the FDC ticket. His political journey later shifted following internal turmoil within the Forum for Democratic Change (FDC), which culminated in a split among party founders and the formation of the People’s Front for Freedom (PFF), spearheaded by Dr. Col. Kiiza Besigye.
PFF is currently led by Kampala Lord Mayor Elias Lukwago, following the incarceration of Dr. Besigye, who has now spent over a year in prison since his arrest in Kenya in November 2024, alongside his aide Obeid Lutale.
For many opposition supporters, Hon. Namanya’s public endorsement implicit or otherwise of President Museveni, at a time when Dr. Besigye remains behind bars, is viewed as a painful betrayal of sacrifice, resilience, and unwavering defiance that has defined Uganda’s opposition politics for decades. Critics argue that while others have chosen persecution over compromise, Hon. Namanya appears to have chosen convenience over conviction.
