Lwemiyaga County MP Theodore Ssekikubo has officially walked away from the ruling National Resistance Movement (NRM), ending a turbulent 25-year association marked by clashes with party leaders and loyal support at the grassroots.
The outspoken legislator announced his departure after the NRM Election Disputes Tribunal upheld Brig. Gen. (Rtd) Emmanuel Rwashande as the party’s flag bearer for Lwemiyaga in the 2026 elections.
Ssekikubo had petitioned the tribunal, citing vote rigging, intimidation, and forged declaration forms. But the panel dismissed his case, saying the irregularities were minor and did not affect the outcome.
To him, the ruling was the last straw.
“I am done with NRM. I cannot continue being part of a party that does not respect the will of the people,” Ssekikubo declared, calling the decision “laughable” and proof that the party had “lost direction.”
Ssekikubo’s uneasy relationship with NRM has been no secret. For years, he challenged powerful figures in Sembabule and openly criticized what he called the party’s “excesses.” Despite this, he remained under the yellow banner until now.
“Even as I consult my people, I am sure that NRM is no longer my party. They have pushed me to the edge, and I am going to sit with my people and we forge a way forward,” he told Nile Post.
The Lwemiyaga primaries were chaotic, with accusations of non-delegates voting, UPDF soldiers blocking polling stations, and forged results inflating Rwashande’s numbers. Former state minister Joy Kabatsi, who also petitioned, described the exercise as “a sham.”
Official results gave Rwashande 16,358 votes against Ssekikubo’s 8,702.
Though he has not revealed his next step, allies suggest Ssekikubo may run as an independent. Analysts warn his exit could weaken NRM in Sembabule, a district already plagued by factional fights.
NRM leaders, however, are urging him to stay. Party communications director Emmanuel Ddombo said differences should be resolved “inside, not outside.”
But Ssekikubo insists reconciliation is off the table.
“I am not talking about NRM anymore, I am moving forward,” he said, closing a chapter that has defined his political career for nearly three decades.
The once-fiery NRM loyalist now faces a new political dawn without the yellow flag he carried, challenged, and has finally abandoned.
