Blogs
Why former Buganda Katikiro should apologise to NRM fraternity
According to me, Muliika is being uncharitable to the NRM and has no right whatsoever to declare NRM supporters as brainless. This is an insult not only to the over 20 million registered NRM members but also a direct insult to the NRM National chairperson, who is also the President of the country — Yoweri Museveni.
Why former Buganda Katikiro should apologise to NRM fraternity
By: Admin ., Journalist @New Vision
_________________
OPINION
By Amlan Tumusiime
Social media, especially TikTok, is currently awash with a video clip featuring the former Katikkiro (prime minister) of Buganda Kingdom, Dan Muliika, referring to the National Resistance Movement (NRM) supporters as people with no brains. Speaking in Luganda while addressing a gathering, Muliika, 82 years old, says in the video: “Nze bwentunulira owa NRM, manya nti oyo obwongo talina….”, literally meaning: “When I see someone belonging to NRM, I just know that person has no brain.”
According to me, Muliika is being uncharitable to the NRM and has no right whatsoever to declare NRM supporters as brainless. This is an insult not only to the over 20 million registered NRM members but also a direct insult to the NRM National chairperson, who is also the President of the country — Yoweri Museveni.
Muliika’s insult further undermines the over eight million Ugandans who gave Museveni over 71% of the votes in the 2026 presidential elections.
Muliika, as an individual, has a constitutional right to support any person of his choice politically, but he is out of order to declare NRM supporters brainless. This is because “brainless” is a derogatory term, describing someone who is extremely foolish, lacks common sense or acts without a properly functioning brain.
If it were not the NRM government under the leadership of President Museveni that restored Buganda Kingdom on July 31, 1993, Dan Muliika could not have gotten the opportunity to serve as Buganda’s second Katikiro, following the installation of Kabaka Ronald Mwenda Mutebi II for 14 months. He needs to be more thankful.
As Muliika was insulting NRM supporters, going by the video clip circulating on social media, I noticed that the majority cheering him on were young people who were, fortunately, born and had grown up during the NRM leadership. It is possible that some of them could have died before making one year, or even five years, from the six childhood killer diseases: Polio, measles, tuberculosis, whooping cough, diphtheria and tetanus.
It is the “brainless” NRM that introduced the immunisation programme in 1987, which saw the average nationwide immunisation coverage triple from 34% then to 92% currently. It is not surprising that to date, out of every 1,000 children born alive, 957 reach one year; Out of the 1,000, at least 944 will reach five years of age.
Muliika’s insult further undermines the over eight million Ugandans who gave Museveni over 71% of the votes in the 2026 presidential elections.
Muliika, as an individual, has a constitutional right to support any person of his choice politically, but he is out of order to declare NRM supporters brainless. This is because “brainless” is a derogatory term, describing someone who is extremely foolish, lacks common sense or acts without a properly functioning brain.
If it were not the NRM government under the leadership of President Museveni that restored Buganda Kingdom on July 31, 1993, Dan Muliika could not have gotten the opportunity to serve as Buganda’s second Katikiro, following the installation of Kabaka Ronald Mwenda Mutebi II for 14 months. He needs to be more thankful.
As Muliika was insulting NRM supporters, going by the video clip circulating on social media, I noticed that the majority cheering him on were young people who were, fortunately, born and had grown up during the NRM leadership. It is possible that some of them could have died before making one year, or even five years, from the six childhood killer diseases: Polio, measles, tuberculosis, whooping cough, diphtheria and tetanus.
It is the “brainless” NRM that introduced the immunisation programme in 1987, which saw the average nationwide immunisation coverage triple from 34% then to 92% currently. It is not surprising that to date, out of every 1,000 children born alive, 957 reach one year; Out of the 1,000, at least 944 will reach five years of age.
These figures show a big reduction in child mortality rates from 1988, when of every 1,000 babies born alive, only 902 would reach one year, and of these, 823 would become five years. Therefore, the young people in the video clip cheering on Muliika’s insult can be forgiven because they are still young and do not know the history of Uganda. Muliika is being selfish for misleading them, yet he has been around for a long time, and he knows the history of Uganda too well.
How can Muliika claim that NRM supporters are brainless, yet they have kept the party in power for about 40 years? Can brainless people achieve this? When you add the years served by all former presidents of Uganda from independence in 1962, excluding President Museveni, they led for a combined total of 24 years. Let us break down their time in office:
Sir Edward Muteesa II led for three years (1963-1966); Apollo Milton Obote for 14 years across two separate terms (1966-1971 and 1980 1985); Idi Amin Dada for eight years (1971-1979); Yusufu Kironde Lule spent 68 days in office (April to June 1979); Godfrey Lukongwa Binaisa ruled for 11 months (1979-1980); Paul Muwanga took over for 10 days in 1980, and Tito Okello Lutwa for six months (1985 to 1986).
How can a party with brainless supporters stay in power for all this long and still be going strong? How can a party with brainless supporters successfully unite the country by moving from historical, identity-based, sectarian politics to broad-based government, equal representation in national institutions and consistent election victories? This is proof of a widespread national unity. NRM supporters are not brainless as claimed by Muliika.
NRM has loyal supporters who are honest and have trust in their party chairperson because they have worked with him for a long time, listening to his ideas and supporting him to ensure that those ideas are implemented. NRM supporters love their country and would always do everything possible to make sure that the country remains peaceful, stable and secure.
When the NRM assumed power in January 1986, both historians and political analysts generally agreed that NRM inherited a deeply broken and collapsed state. This is because by 1986, the economy had suffered from chronic mismanagement, widespread looting and severe neglect of the citizens under the previous governments. By 1986, inflation had skyrocketed to over 200% and basic commodities like soap, salt and sugar, among others, were scarce and only available on the black market.
There was too much institutional decay where essential public services, infrastructure and administrative capacity were in disarray. The health care and education systems had virtually broken down, and the civil service was largely demoralised and dysfunctional. Political violence and instability were the order of the day, with the country highly fractured along ethnic and religious lines. Successive violence regime changes from independence in 1962 through the 1970s and early 1980s had eroded public trust in national leadership and security forces.
Upon taking control, the NRM implemented sweeping macroeconomic and political reforms, including the well-known ten-point programme aimed at addressing corruption, restoring democracy, and rebuilding state authority. Museveni’s administration is widely credited for establishing macro-economic stability and putting Uganda on a path of long-term economic growth.
Museveni’s key contributions to Uganda span several vital sectors, including peace and security, economic expansion and industrialisation, poverty reduction and health care, education and wealth-creation initiatives, making him a darling to millions of Ugandans.
Therefore, Muliika should take responsibility and apologise to the NRM fraternity, including President Museveni, instead of making excuses. Saying sorry is a sign of strength, emotional maturity and self-awareness. As an elder, that is the best thing for him to do.
The writer is an NRM Cadre
How can Muliika claim that NRM supporters are brainless, yet they have kept the party in power for about 40 years? Can brainless people achieve this? When you add the years served by all former presidents of Uganda from independence in 1962, excluding President Museveni, they led for a combined total of 24 years. Let us break down their time in office:
Sir Edward Muteesa II led for three years (1963-1966); Apollo Milton Obote for 14 years across two separate terms (1966-1971 and 1980 1985); Idi Amin Dada for eight years (1971-1979); Yusufu Kironde Lule spent 68 days in office (April to June 1979); Godfrey Lukongwa Binaisa ruled for 11 months (1979-1980); Paul Muwanga took over for 10 days in 1980, and Tito Okello Lutwa for six months (1985 to 1986).
How can a party with brainless supporters stay in power for all this long and still be going strong? How can a party with brainless supporters successfully unite the country by moving from historical, identity-based, sectarian politics to broad-based government, equal representation in national institutions and consistent election victories? This is proof of a widespread national unity. NRM supporters are not brainless as claimed by Muliika.
NRM has loyal supporters who are honest and have trust in their party chairperson because they have worked with him for a long time, listening to his ideas and supporting him to ensure that those ideas are implemented. NRM supporters love their country and would always do everything possible to make sure that the country remains peaceful, stable and secure.
When the NRM assumed power in January 1986, both historians and political analysts generally agreed that NRM inherited a deeply broken and collapsed state. This is because by 1986, the economy had suffered from chronic mismanagement, widespread looting and severe neglect of the citizens under the previous governments. By 1986, inflation had skyrocketed to over 200% and basic commodities like soap, salt and sugar, among others, were scarce and only available on the black market.
There was too much institutional decay where essential public services, infrastructure and administrative capacity were in disarray. The health care and education systems had virtually broken down, and the civil service was largely demoralised and dysfunctional. Political violence and instability were the order of the day, with the country highly fractured along ethnic and religious lines. Successive violence regime changes from independence in 1962 through the 1970s and early 1980s had eroded public trust in national leadership and security forces.
Upon taking control, the NRM implemented sweeping macroeconomic and political reforms, including the well-known ten-point programme aimed at addressing corruption, restoring democracy, and rebuilding state authority. Museveni’s administration is widely credited for establishing macro-economic stability and putting Uganda on a path of long-term economic growth.
Museveni’s key contributions to Uganda span several vital sectors, including peace and security, economic expansion and industrialisation, poverty reduction and health care, education and wealth-creation initiatives, making him a darling to millions of Ugandans.
Therefore, Muliika should take responsibility and apologise to the NRM fraternity, including President Museveni, instead of making excuses. Saying sorry is a sign of strength, emotional maturity and self-awareness. As an elder, that is the best thing for him to do.
The writer is an NRM Cadre