It took me a couple of days to get hold of Gerald Karuhanga and even when I spoke to him, it was through a phone call.

Asked what he is up to, the former Ntungamo Municipality Member of Parliament, said he is enjoying what he described as a “strategic political leave.”

Karuhanga, a former guild president of Makerere University, joined Parliament as a youth MP representing the western region, but was later voted Ntungamo Municipality MP, a constituency he served for 10 years on an independent ticket.

However, when he joined the Alliance for National Transformation (ANT), a party that his close friend, Maj. Gen. Mugisha Muntu, formed when he broke away from the Forum for Democratic Change (FDC) party ahead of the 2021 general election, voters rejected him.

Asked whether he regrets joining Muntu’s party, the youthful politician said ANT is one of the safest political entities in the country.

Karuhanga added that he didn’t lose his seat in the 2021 general election because he contested on ANT’s ticket, but he was rigged out.

A lawyer, Karuhanga said he is now preoccupied with the pursuit of justice and fairness.

“My character is shaped by the aspirations of an ordinary person,” he said.

“I was honoured with an opportunity to serve for two terms in the constituency. I also served as a youth MP. It was a unique experience. During the election period, many colleagues went out of their way to try to convince me that it was practical for me to win as a first-time independent youth parliamentary candidate and I told them that God has his ways,” he added.

An old boy of St Mary’s College, Kisubi, Karuhanga said when he joined Parliament, he was 28 years.

Expectations deflated

His expectations, he added, were very high at the time. “I thought I had come to change things in politics, but I found that most of the politicians in there were seeking their selfish desires,” he said.

Even when he tried to fight corruption in the political class, he hit a boomerang.

Politics in Uganda, Karuhanga added, is married to corruption.

Even when he was appointed vice-chairperson of the Public Accounts Committee of Parliament, Karuhanga said, he could not change much, but he tried to probe the corrupt deals.

“I am grateful that I had the opportunity to run again for the Ntungamo parliamentary constituency position. I would still be representing my people if it were a free and fair election. It is sad to note that the very young men and women that joined the forces to change our country, determined to protect and defend their country have consistently been used to manipulate the very foundations and framework that constitute our country,” he said. 

“I hope and believe that the elections in the future as we push on with the struggle will be free and fair and deliver leaders who will promote the interests of the country and the citizens,” Karuhanga added.

Will he seek reelection?

Asked whether he will seek re-election in 2026, Karuhanga said: “My deeper reserve is so much about the progress of our country than attaining the parliamentary seat or any position in Government. I may choose to run or not to run, but what I am very sure of is the energy, consistency, morale, vigour and rigour to push as much as one can to ensure that our country gets on a democratic path.” 

“During this time of my strategic political retreat, I'm in the business of equipping constituents with irrigation skills to pilot coffee growing, and I am passionate about changing the country’s education space. I still believe that Uganda needs better leadership that is transformational,” he added.

This story was first published in Saturday Vision's The House on March 18, 2023