Opposition politician and Kira Municipality MP, Ibrahim Ssemujju Nganda, has openly questioned why two ruling party lawmakers — Barnabas Tinkasimire and Theodore Ssekikubo — continue to stay in the National Resistance Movement (NRM) despite years of clashes with its leadership.
Speaking during a lively political talk show on a local radio station, Ssemujju said he finds their behavior “confusing” because they often speak and act like opposition politicians but still hold on to NRM membership. He described it as forcing themselves onto a party that has shown them little respect.
“One thing I have never understood is people like Barnabas Tinkasimire and Theodore Ssekikubo continuing to force themselves on the NRM,” he said. “These are people who speak like opposition, act like opposition, and yet cling onto the party that suppresses them.”
Ssekikubo, who represents Lwemiyaga County, and Tinkasimire, MP for Buyaga West, are known for being outspoken critics inside the ruling party. They have repeatedly accused NRM leaders of lacking transparency, silencing dissent, and running internal affairs in an undemocratic manner. Over the years, they have faced threats, intimidation, and even talk of disciplinary action.
According to Ssemujju, their decision to remain in the party gives the NRM false legitimacy, making it seem more democratic than it really is. He suggested that the choice is more about political survival than about bringing genuine change. “They want to eat with NRM while pretending to fight it,” he added.
His remarks have sparked fresh debate on political loyalty and opportunism. Supporters of the two MPs defend them, saying they can still challenge NRM from the inside and influence decisions. “You don’t always fight from outside,” one supporter wrote online. “Sometimes you influence change from the inside.”
However, critics argue that staying in the NRM while criticizing it sends mixed signals and weakens the opposition’s credibility. Both Ssekikubo and Tinkasimire have yet to respond to Ssemujju’s comments, though they are known for brushing off criticism and insisting they serve the people, not party leaders.
With the 2026 elections drawing near, political watchers predict more clashes between NRM’s vocal members and its increasingly firm leadership. Whether Ssekikubo and Tinkasimire will remain in the party or finally break ranks is a question that could shape Uganda’s political landscape in the months ahead.
