The Leader of Opposition, Joel Ssenyonyi has dismissed claims that the defection of Mawokota South MP Yusuf Nsibambi to the ruling National Resistance Movement (NRM) weakens Uganda’s opposition, insisting that the resistance against President Yoweri Museveni is rooted in the frustrations of ordinary citizens — not individual politicians.
Nsibambi, formerly the deputy president for Buganda region in the Forum for Democratic Change (FDC), was officially unveiled as an NRM member on Wednesday by the party’s Secretary General Richard Todwong. He was accompanied by Speaker of Parliament Anita Among during the event, which sparked mixed reactions across the political divide.
Speaking shortly after the development, Ssenyonyi said the opposition remains strong because it represents widespread public dissatisfaction with governance.
“Opposition to Mr Museveni is not just we the leaders [in the opposition], no. The opposition is the people of Uganda who are angry at this regime — who want service delivery, who see a lot of corruption, who see bad governance and brutality and so on. That is the opposition to Mr Museveni. It does not go away,” Ssenyonyi said.
While acknowledging Nsibambi’s constitutional right to join any political party of his choice, Ssenyonyi argued that the move confirms long-standing suspicions about his political leanings.
“He has decided to start his fasting season by crossing over to the NRM. That is his right, and no one can take that away from him. I am just glad that we have been vindicated because for a long time he has been pretentious about it,” he added.
Ssenyonyi further suggested that such political crossovers are often driven by personal considerations rather than ideology.
“We said, don’t pretend about this. It is clear that you went to Mr Museveni. You lost an election together with your colleagues who were not able to make it for one reason or another. You were probably looking for some support, maybe you have debts to take care of, maybe you are looking for a job — Minister of State, RDC and all that. Be clear about your intentions. Now the pretense is off. He has crossed over. Maybe he has some gains to protect,” he said.
According to Ssenyonyi, while defections may affect individual political careers, they do not alter the broader struggle for accountability, improved service delivery, and good governance in Uganda.
