The once-influential Gang of Seven political bloc from Buganda has suffered a dramatic collapse following Uganda’s 2026 parliamentary elections, with Betty Nambooze Bakireke emerging as the only member to retain a parliamentary seat.
Nambooze, who was re-elected Member of Parliament for Mukono Municipality, now stands alone after the defeat of her long-time political allies Mathias Mpuuga Nsamba, Ibrahim Ssemujju Nganda, Medard Lubega Sseggona and Muhammad Muwanga Kivumbi.
Moses Kasibante, who had previously been associated with the group, was rejected earlier by voters, further shrinking the bloc’s influence.
Erias Lukwago, another prominent figure linked to the group, is yet to know his political fate.
Lukwago is set to face voters in the January 22, 2026, Kampala Lord Mayor election, a contest that will determine whether he remains a major opposition figure or joins his defeated colleagues outside elective office.
For more than 15 years, the Gang of Seven played a visible role in shaping opposition politics in Buganda, often positioning itself as a vocal pressure group against the ruling National Resistance Movement.
The 2026 elections, however, have sharply reduced the group’s parliamentary presence, with the loss of several high-profile legislators marking what many observers see as a turning point in the region’s opposition politics.
Among the most notable casualties are Ibrahim Ssemujju Nganda, Mathias Mpuuga, Medard Lubega Sseggona and Muhammad Muwanga Kivumbi.
Ssemujju was the first among the defeated leaders to publicly concede defeat, acknowledging the outcome as a genuine expression of voter choice.
“I was not rigged. The people made their decision, and I respect it,” Ssemujju said, even as some within the opposition continue to question aspects of the electoral process.
Mathias Mpuuga has taken a different position, insisting that the elections did not reflect the will of the voters but maintaining that the loss would not end his political career.
“The process failed us, but this does not discourage me. The struggle continues,” Mpuuga said.
Despite the scale of the losses, members of the bloc argue that defeat does not amount to political extinction and that operating outside Parliament could offer an opportunity for reflection and reorganisation.
“Being outside Parliament gives us time to reorganize, reflect, and continue pushing for leadership change,” Ssemujju added.
As the only remaining Gang of Seven member in Parliament, Nambooze rejected claims that she is now politically isolated, arguing that the movement has evolved beyond its original founders.
“We are no longer just seven people. We are now thousands,” Nambooze said. “I will work with the younger leaders who have emerged. The struggle is bigger than individual seats.”
The ruling NRM has been quick to dismiss the bloc’s prospects of a political comeback. NRM spokesperson Emmanuel Dombo said voters had decisively moved on and warned that the defeated politicians risk slipping into irrelevance.
“Ugandans have clearly rejected them. If they don’t rethink their politics or turn to the NRM, they will only remain in history books,” Dombo said.
With Lukwago’s fate set to be decided on January 22, 2026, the future of the Gang of Seven remains uncertain.
Whether the 2026 elections represent the definitive end of the bloc or the beginning of a broader regrouping effort will depend on their ability to reconnect with voters and redefine their relevance in Uganda’s changing political landscape.
