Former Bukoto South legislator Twaha Kagabo has said he was not disappointed that the National Resistance Movement (NRM) did not back him to retain his parliamentary seat, although he admits there is intrigue within the party, similar to other political organisations.
He made the remarks on Friday while appearing on Sanyuka Television, where he reflected on his political journey from joining the ruling party to his defeat in the 2026 general election.
Kagabo, who entered the 11th Parliament on the ticket of the National Unity Platform (NUP) in 2021 before later crossing to the ruling NRM, said his expectations changed after joining the party.
“I became frustrated after joining NRM. I had a different picture, but when I joined, I realized there were some issues that were not proper. That made me disappointed,” he said.
He added that internal competition and disagreements within the ruling party were not very different from what exists in other political organisations.
“There is a lot of intrigue in NRM, but just like in the whole field of politics. You need to be very careful, otherwise things can become worse for you. There is a lot of disagreement and the intrigue is high,” Kagabo said.
Kagabo’s political journey in Bukoto South has been marked by challenges, including his failure to secure the NRM party flag ahead of the 2026 elections.
After losing in the party primaries, he opted to run as an independent candidate while still aligning himself with the ruling party, a move that increased political tension in the constituency.
He later lost the parliamentary seat in the January 2026 general election to NUP's Sawula, bringing to an end a turbulent political cycle that saw him shift from the opposition to the ruling party, compete in party primaries, and eventually contest independently.
However, Kagabo ruled out claims that his defeat was caused by his decision to leave the opposition and join the NRM.
He also dismissed suggestions that his earlier criticism of the opposition contributed to his loss, insisting he only exercised his freedom of expression.
“Whatever I said about the opposition was not wrong, as long as I said it publicly,” he said.