In this piece, let me begin by stating that political disagreements and internal conflicts among Busoga NRM leaders are becoming so intense and public that they could damage the region’s reputation, causing outsiders to mock, dismiss, or lose respect for it. Professor Oweyegha-Afunaduula, in his 2023 piece “The Political Governance of Busoga,” argued that it is rare to find Basoga who can look a hundred years ahead and seriously imagine what Busoga could become in the next century. This raises a question: given the current political divides, disagreements, rivalries, factional fights, and identity-based conflicts among NRM leaders, are these politicians thinking long-term about Busoga’s future?
The challenge with these conflicts is that they occur among some of Busoga’s political heavyweights, figures whom ordinary Basoga often hesitate to engage. But my question remains: will these disputes not leave Busoga a laughing stock? When politics shifts from constructive engagement to endless infighting, the region’s image suffers. Outsiders begin to see Busoga not as a serious partner in national development, but as a theatre of political drama. This is precisely what the phrase “turning Busoga into a laughing stock” warns against—a loss of dignity, credibility, and influence.
Empirical evidence shows the impact of these political struggles. Towns like Jinja, which once stood at the heart of Busoga, now suffer from dilapidated roads full of potholes. Meanwhile, NRM politicians, who should be lobbying for infrastructure development, are preoccupied with media battles and personal rivalries. One elder in Jinja lamented, “What annoys me is that those politicians are fighting while enjoying life and driving nice Land Cruisers, as for us, we suffer with many problems. I wish Museveni could know how people of Busoga are struggling.”
The real danger is not disagreement itself, but the failure to manage it responsibly. Political actors must remember that leadership carries the burden of protecting collective reputation. Unity does not mean uniformity; it means placing the region’s interests above personal ambition. As William Fitzsimons (2018), in “Warfare, Competition, and the Durability of ‘Political Smallness’ in Nineteenth-Century Busoga,” observed, the region has a history of political fragmentation and disunity. My appeal is that Busoga’s leaders need to refocus on shared development goals and resolve disputes with maturity if the region is to reclaim its narrative and safeguard its dignity.
Ayub Mukisa, PhD
Executive Director, Karamoja Anti-Corruption Coalition (KACC)
Email: ayubmukisa@gmail.com
