After more than five years of enjoying the mercy, goodwill, and trust of the people of Rukungiri District, who overwhelmingly voted her into Parliament, Woman MP Hon. Medius Kaharata now finds herself at the center of a political storm—not for achievements delivered, but for a growing record of intolerance, propaganda, and tribal rhetoric that is fast unraveling the National Resistance Movement (NRM)’s hard-earned unity in Rukungiri.
On Saturday, 13th June 2025, listeners of a popular political talk show aired from 10:00 AM to 12:00 PM on a Kanungu-based radio station were taken aback when Hon. Kaharata, instead of outlining her performance track record and unveiling her vision for the district, resorted to throwing insults and wild propaganda against her political opponents. The two-hour program, which was expected to offer a platform for mature political discourse, instead turned into a barrage of personal attacks, tribal references, and fear-mongering—the very practices that President Yoweri Kaguta Museveni has repeatedly warned against.
CUE….MEDIUS KARATA PROPAGANDA…………..//RR//
Lack of Substance, Rise of Propaganda
To date, Hon. Kaharata has struggled to produce a single comprehensive report detailing what she has accomplished for the people of Rukungiri since she took office. Constituents who voted in the hope of improved health services, youth and women empowerment, road infrastructure, and education support are now expressing dismay at her shift from issues to insults.
“It’s clear the Honorable Member has run out of ideas. When a leader resorts to mudslinging instead of policy debate, it shows a lack of ideological grounding,” remarked a concerned NRM youth leader from Kebisoni. “What we heard on Saturday was a shame.”
Defying the NRM Chairperson’s Call
It should be recalled that President Museveni, the NRM National Chairperson, has on numerous occasions condemned sectarian politics rooted in religion and tribe. These divisive politics, he argues, undermine the cohesion of the nation and have no place in the NRM’s ideology of patriotism, Pan-Africanism, and unity.
However, Hon. Kaharata’s recent rhetoric goes directly against this guidance. She was heard accusing some of her political competitors of “not being born or married in Rukungiri”—a ”baseless and discriminatory statement that contradicts both the Constitution of Uganda and the spirit of the NRM.
According to Article 61(1)(e) of the Constitution of Uganda, the Electoral Commission shall ensure that individuals “qualified for elections shall not be discriminated against based on ethnicity, religion, gender, or place of birth,” while Article 38(1) provides that every citizen has the right to participate in the affairs of government—including contesting elective positions, regardless of marital or tribal affiliations.
Moreover, the Parliamentary Elections Act, 2005, under Section 21(1), prohibits candidates or their agents from using “defamatory, insulting, or abusive language” during campaigns. The penalty for such an offense includes imprisonment for up to two years or a fine of forty-eight currency points (approx. UGX 960,000), or both.
Rukungiri’s Political History: A Lesson in Unity
Historically, Rukungiri was a stronghold of opposition forces, particularly the Forum for Democratic Change (FDC). However, in the 2021 general elections, the tables turned when the NRM, riding on a message of unity, service delivery, and ideology, reclaimed major seats, including the Woman MP slot. The NRM’s victory was largely credited to the cohesion of its leadership and the mobilization efforts rooted in shared development goals.
Today, those gains are at risk of being lost. Voters across the district—from Nyakagyeme to Bwambara, Buyanja to Bugangari, Buhunga to Ruhinda—are increasingly uneasy with Hon. Kaharata’s toxic political style. A group of elderly voters from Buhunga sub-county has openly threatened to walk out on her rallies if she continues to “spread falsehoods and divide people.”
Calls for NRM Intervention and Fresh Leadership
Several NRM stalwarts in the Rukungiri district are now calling for urgent intervention. Local leaders are requesting that the party’s secretariat and ideological training teams summon Hon. Kaharata and educate her on the NRM’s founding values. Her continuous attacks, if left unchecked, could severely affect the party’s performance in the 2026 general elections, especially in a district where every vote counts.
“The unity that helped us defeat the opposition in 2021 is being dismantled from within. She must either reform or step down for mature, development-oriented leaders who can build consensus,” said a party leader at the sub-county level.
CUE…..RESIDENT TRASHING PROPAGANDA…………..//RR//
Conclusion: A Fork in the Road for Rukungiri
As Uganda inches closer to the 2026 elections, Rukungiri’s political future now hinges on whether leaders prioritize unity or personal grudges. Hon. Medius Kaharata still has time to redeem herself—but only if she abandons the politics of identity and insults and instead focuses on results and service delivery.
Otherwise, the very people who once gave her a political lifeline may this time lead the charge to retire her from active politics.
Disclaimer: “This article reflects the observations and opinions of political analysts and constituents interviewed and does not represent the official position of the Electoral Commission.“
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