By Mulengera ReportersAt a recent NRM strategy meeting at Kampala’s Hotel Africana, NRM flag bearer for Kalungu Woman MP Slot Hellen Nakeya loudly cried out to Attorney General Kiwanuka Kiryowa (who is also the patron for Buganda on Museveni pressure group whose membership comprises of MPs and Minister for Kabaka’s region) to use his might and clout and force State Minister for Water Aisha Sekindi from the race. Sekindi is currently the incumbent Woman MP for Kalungu and is now seeking her 3rd term having first got elected in 2016 when she replaced Florence Kintu. However, citing conspiratorial politics by her adversaries rumored to be led by former defense Minister Vincent Sempijja, she suddenly declined participation in NRM primaries. She claimed her adversaries intended to rig party primaries in order to humiliate and exhaust her out of the job. Her staying away from the flag bearer race paved way for her adversaries to gang up and hand the NRM flag to Hellen Nakeya who is a road side vendor of roasted stuff at the Lukaya trading center along Kampala-Masaka High Way. So, as flag bearer, Nakeya who also subscribes to Kyambogo-based ONC is worried that Sekindi’s insistence to stand as an independent will diminish her victory chances and might pave way for the opposition (NUP) to take the slot for the first time since Kalungu district’s creation. When she recently got the opportunity to speak before Kiryowa, Deputy Secretary General Rose Namayanja and new Buganda region party chairman Haruna Kasolo, Nakeya poured out her heart. “Hon Attorney General it will look unfair and contradictory for you to stand here and cajole independents to bow out for flag bearers and end up saying totally nothing about your fellow Minister Aisha Sekindi who is already campaigning as an independent, which is undermining me who is the flag bearer. Her continued staying on as Minister while running as an independent is sending out a wrong signal to the voters as if State House is the one backing her. At least plead with Mzee to fire her so as to make the Kalungu ground more levelled for me,” Nakeya said at the meeting as Sekindi uneasily turned in her seat. But perhaps fearing to upset their fellow big person, none of the Kasolo, Namayanja and Kiryowa trio bothered responding to her concern. Sekindi was in the audience and sat infront. However, she never responded to the pressure Nakeya was trying to mount to get the big people present force her out of the Kalungu Woman MP race. THEN COMES BAHATI:Fast forward, fellow Minister David Bahati’s decision to bow out of the Ndorwa West MP race (via his Wednesday media statement) is something that increases pressure on Ministers like Aisha Sekindi to consider bowing out too to avoid being castigated and blamed should the ruling party lose such a seat to the opposition come 2026 elections. While demoralizing defiants like Sekindi on one hand, such decision by Bahati emboldens the likes of Hellen Nakeya to keep pushing hard to ensure that Sekindi finally quits the race. Sekindi is naturally a very defiant survivor even when she belongs to NRM whose top leadership despises defiance as a thing of the opposition. In 2021, she defied all odds by emerging to be one of the few Musevenists who comfortably survived the NUP Kyagulanyi wave which electrocuted even more powerful NRM politicians in Kabaka Mutebi’s region. And who knows, she might once again move mountains, bounce back and thereby placating the National Resistance Movement once again in that part of Greater Masaka. She won with 25,451 votes followed by NUP’s Phiona Mirembe Kiggundu (21,668) and longtime opponent Aisha Waliggo of DP who trailed with 8,754 votes. It’s clear from the results that if Waliggo and Kiggundu had come together in the spirit of the broader opposition interest, Aisha Sekindi wouldn’t have prevailed. BAHATI’S FAREWELL MESSAGE:Fellow Citizens of Kigezi, Kabale, Members of the NRM party, People of Ndorwa County West and Uganda at large; After deep reflection and wide consultations with the President H. E Yoweri Kaguta T. Museveni today at the sidelines of the 27th National Prayer Breakfast, Distinguished party leaders, Constituency supporters and well-wishers, I wish to make the following official statement regarding my political position ahead of the 2026 General Elections; I dearly thank the people of Ndorwa county West for the overwhelming support you gave me during the July 2025 NRM party primaries. Your trust and confidence in me remain one of my greatest honors. I’m deeply humbled by your steadfast belief in my leadership and service. I take great pride in the service I have rendered to the people of Uganda, Kigezi, Kabale and Ndorwa West in particular since May 2006. I worked with all dedication, energy and sincerity to improve family livelihoods, Sports and Talents (Bahati cup tournament) and promote development but importantly raise the voice of our people on the floor of Parliament. I wish to inform the general public that I will NOT OFFER MYSELF AS AN INDEPENDENT CANDIDATE in the forthcoming 2026 General Elections. This decision comes from a deep sense of responsibility to preserve the unity and stability of the National Resistance Movement party (NRM) and to ensure peace and harmony within the district. I believe that running as an independent moves against the spirit of cohesion that our president and party have tirelessly worked to uphold and it’s also against the NRM party constitution (2020 as amended), Article 8(4)e; that bares the District Party Chairperson from standing against or campaigning against official Party flag bearers. I sincerely appreciate the people of Ndorwa West who have voted for me for close to two decades under the NRM party ticket and therefore I can’t seek their mandate on another ticket other than the NRM. Although I will not be on the ballot, I remain committed and available to serve for a better, prosperous and united greater Kabale and Kigezi in various capabilities. To my dear supporters I urge you to remain calm and continue to mobilize for H. E Yoweri Kaguta Tibuhaburwa Museveni and the NRM party in the 2026 General Elections so that we “Protect the gains” David K Bahati Minister of State Trade, Industry and Co-operatives (Industry) MP Ndorwa county West NRM party chairman, Kabale. (For comments on this story, get back to us on 0705579994 [WhatsApp line], 0779411734 & 041 4674611 or email us at mulengeranews@gmail.com).