The National Resistance Movement (NRM) party primaries held on Thursday, July 17, 2025, have left Uganda’s political landscape shaken to the core — with a string of humiliating defeats for some of President Museveni’s trusted ministers. What was expected to be a routine internal election turned into a brutal political reckoning, as voters turned against several high-profile Cabinet figures.
Among the most dramatic upsets was the political earthquake in Lwemiyaga County, Ssembabule District, where Brig. Gen. (Rtd) Emmanuel Rwashande delivered a shocking defeat to long-serving and controversial MP Theodore Ssekikubo. The high-stakes contest had drawn national attention, and the outcome marks a significant power shift within the NRM’s internal dynamics.
“This is not just a win for me, it’s a victory for disciplined leadership and people-first politics,” Rwashande told jubilant supporters after being declared winner.
But the Lwemiyaga race was just one chapter in a wider story of Cabinet collapse.
Top Ministers Who Were Crushed at the Ballot:
- Ngobi Gume Fredrick
State Minister for Cooperatives
Constituency: Bulamogi North West
Status: Lost - Dr. Joyce Moriku Kaducu
State Minister for Primary Education
Constituency: Moyo District Woman MP
Status: Lost - Victoria Rusoke Businge
State Minister for Local Government
Constituency: Kabarole District Woman MP
Status: Lost - Peace Mutuuzo
Minister for Gender, Labour and Social Development
Constituency: Bunyangabu District Woman MP
Status: Lost - Hon. Rose Lilly Akello
State Minister for Ethics and Integrity
Constituency: Ndorwa West
Status: Lost - Musa Ecweru
Minister for Relief, Disaster Preparedness and Refugees
Constituency: Amuria County
Status: Lost - David Bahati
State Minister for Trade, Industry and Cooperatives (Industry)
Constituency: Ndorwa West
Status: Lost
The fall of Bahati, Mutuuzo, and Ecweru, all considered close allies of the ruling establishment, is being interpreted by analysts as a warning shot from the party base—demanding performance, presence, and a break from business as usual.
A Party Shaken, A Country Watching
The primaries were not just about local rivalries; they’ve exposed deep shifts in voter sentiment within the NRM. The loss of multiple ministers in a single day reflects growing demand for accountability and a generational hunger for fresh, visible leadership.
With the 2026 general elections now just months away, the question remains: How will President Museveni respond to a Cabinet losing grip on the ground? And what does this mean for the future of governance in Uganda?
The results below for Ssekikubo & Rwashande | Credit Nile Post 
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