A simmering power struggle within the National Resistance Movement (NRM) has burst further into the open after Kasambya County MP Daudi Kabanda launched a scathing attack on senior party figures he accuses of targeting Chief of Defence Forces Gen. Muhoozi Kainerugaba under the guise of political criticism.
Kabanda argued that repeated attacks on Muhoozi are not only misguided but amount to indirect criticism of President Yoweri Museveni himself. He said some of the party’s long-serving leaders have chosen to publicly challenge the President’s son despite benefiting from positions and opportunities created under the NRM government.
The outspoken legislator was responding to recent remarks by Gen. Kahinda Otafiire, who raised concerns about alleged extrajudicial actions and killings. Kabanda dismissed the comments, saying they reflect growing discomfort among some members of the old guard over Muhoozi’s rising influence within both the party and the country.
According to Kabanda, efforts aimed at weakening the Chief of Defence Forces have failed spectacularly. Instead of damaging his reputation, he said the criticism has generated greater public interest in Muhoozi and expanded his support base, particularly among younger Ugandans.
He noted that many young people now view Muhoozi as a central figure in the future of the NRM, adding that a new generation of supporters is increasingly rallying behind him. Kabanda believes the continued attacks have only accelerated this shift and strengthened the movement growing around the First Son.
The MP further claimed that some senior party members have underestimated the impact of their statements, arguing that every public criticism directed at Muhoozi has served as free political mobilization for his supporters across the country.
His remarks expose widening cracks within the ruling party as debates over leadership, influence, and the future direction of the NRM become more visible. The discussion around Muhoozi’s role in national politics has continued to intensify amid speculation about the party’s long-term succession plans.
As divisions within the NRM increasingly play out in public, Kabanda’s latest comments are likely to fuel fresh debate over the balance of power within the ruling movement and the growing political weight of Gen. Muhoozi Kainerugaba. Neither Otafiire nor other senior NRM leaders had responded to the remarks at the time of publication.
