On Monday, August 21, the topical discussion of NBS’s flagship morning show “The Morning Breeze” was the almost comical Bukedea saga and its implications on the political landscape come 2026.
Allow me to explain. Last week, the Speaker of Parliament, Anita Among invited over 300 MPs and other dignitaries to Bukedea for a thanksgiving followed by a rally.
According to Simon Kaggwa Njala, the show’s host, the Speaker “literally endorsed General Kainerugaba.”
The show’s guests this morning were on opposing ends of this conversation.
Linos Ngompek- MP, Kibanda North and a diehard MK supporter, and Dr Sarah Bireete- Director Centre for Constitutional Governance and civil society activist.
Bireete highlighted that this campaign was a clear violation of the constitution. Article 99 of the Constitution stipulates the executive authority is vested in the Presidency. While she agreed that the thanksgiving that occurred is a freedom allowed to anyone including the Speaker, she argued that the role of the Military is clearly non partisan.
According to Dr Bereete, the vulgarisation therefore demonstrated by this conduct (this conduct being the obvious campaigning for Presidency, come 2026, by General MK).
“General MK’s movement is not political, but it is a social economic affair” was the shameless rebuttal of NRM’s Ngompek.
“He did not utter politics.. and was invited by the Speaker to say hello” continued Ngompek. “He is doing this as a Special advisor on Presidential affairs”
Questioned on what MK represents to Ngompek, he contradicted himself by saying the General represents “peaceful transition when the time comes”. Campaigning for 2026, in other words.
Dr Sarah Bereete, continued her standpoint on the violation of many policies and the Constitution. Someone should remind her that this is Uganda, where policies are rarely enacted or followed.
The Deputy Speaker literally said that the MPs are here and “ready to support” MK. In what, exactly?
Dr Bereete made an interesting point, when she highlighted the upholding of the constitution by some and not others. A phrase from George Owell’s Animal Farm comes to mind, “Some animals are more equal than others.”
It really is politics, stupid.