Bukoto South MP Twaha Kagabo has formally notified the Speaker of Parliament of his decision to cross from the opposition bench to the ruling National Resistance Movement (NRM) side.
In a letter dated May 29 and addressed to the Speaker, Kagabo said he was switching allegiance in accordance with Article 83 of the Constitution, which allows a Member of Parliament to cross the floor within the last 12 months of the term of Parliament.
“I am officially joining the ruling National Resistance Movement to fully participate in the party’s activities relating to the forthcoming general elections, including party primaries,” Kagabo, who has been a member of the Opposition National Unity Platform parry, wrote.
He added that the decision had been taken in line with constitutional requirements and asked for a positive response from the Speaker.
Copies of the letter were also sent to the Deputy Speaker, the Prime Minister, the Clerk to Parliament, the Leader of the Opposition, and both the Government and Opposition Chief Whips.
"Noting that we are already within twelve months before the end of the term of Parliament, I am officially joining the ruling National Resistance Movement to fully participate in the party’s activities relating [to] the forthcoming general elections including party primaries,” he said.
The letter, stamped as received by several key offices including the Deputy Speaker, Leader of the Opposition, and the Clerk to Parliament, adds that Kagabo’s move is grounded in Article 83 of the Constitution, which regulates how Members of Parliament may cross the floor without losing their seats.
Kagabo, who was elected on the NUP ticket in 2021, said his decision aligns with the law.
“In accordance with Article 83 of the Constitution, I will now cross the floor to the side of the ruling government,” he wrote.
The timing of the letter is critical, as Uganda is gearing up for the 2026 general elections and party primaries are expected to start in the coming months.
The Constitution permits a Member of Parliament to switch parties without losing their seat if the defection occurs within the final year of the current Parliament.
Clause (g) of Article 83(1) provides that an MP can cross the floor without facing expulsion from Parliament, provided it is done less than 12 months before the end of the term.
Kagabo’s move is significant for two reasons: it highlights the growing political realignments ahead of the next elections, and it revives questions around party loyalty, political ideology, and the ethical implications of floor crossing.
His defection may also weaken NUP’s numerical strength in Parliament, where the party has presented itself as the main opposition to President Museveni’s long-standing rule.
Kagabo, who made headlines in 2022 for controversially returning Shs40 million he said was given to MPs under unclear circumstances, has been an unpredictable figure within the NUP ranks.
His latest decision will likely deepen internal conversations within the opposition about cohesion and the pressures facing their MPs in Parliament.