2021 NUP wave in Buganda caught us unawares — Minister Nankabirwa
Nankabirwa, who is also a Lay Canon in the Church of Uganda, was one of the cabinet ministers from the Buganda sub-region who lost their parliamentary seats to NUP candidates in the 2021 general election.
Energy minister Ruth Nankabirwa (Right) emphasised that she saw the NUP wave as an opportunity for her to exit from elective politics. Speaking on the left is Speaker Anita Among. (PPU photo)
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The 2021 National Unity Platform (NUP) party wave that swept energy minister Ruth Nankabirwa and other National Resistance Movement (NRM) party bigwigs out of Parliament caught them unawares, New Vision Online has heard.
Nankabirwa, who is also a Lay Canon in the Church of Uganda, was one of the cabinet ministers from the Buganda sub-region who lost their parliamentary seats to NUP candidates in the 2021 general election.
She had represented Kiboga district as Woman MP since the Constituent Assembly in 1994.
“I am a believer, and the wave caught us unawares in the entire country. All the ministers from Buganda here did not come back,” she told the media during President Yoweri Museveni’s campaign rally in Kiboga district on December 16, 2025.
Nankabirwa, who quit elective politics after losing the MP seat, also said she had always prayed for divine intervention.
“I had always prayed for a moment that God prepared for me to exit from elective politics because I started immediately after school. So, I was looking for that time when I would leave,” she said.
The 60-year-old minister emphasised that she saw the NUP wave as an opportunity for her to exit from elective politics.
“I said I am not going to go back to elective politics. Let me take another path. God bestowed on me the responsibility of being a Canon of the Church of Uganda, and President Museveni also bestowed on me the responsibility of continuing to be in his cabinet and I am happy,” she said.
She stated that she is making changes in the energy ministry, which also makes her happy.
The minister noted that the defeat they suffered as the ruling party in the region that was once their traditional stronghold never affected their management of the country.
"The Government continued, the President continued to be the same. He was like, ‘It’s okay. If you (voters in Buganda) don’t see any value in my ministers, I see value in them.’ He continued giving them responsibility,” Nankabirwa said.
She said the wave gave them a wake-up call.
“Maybe it came as a wake-up call. I think people have woken up, the people of Buganda,” Nankabirwa said.
Heavy casualties
The NRM bigwigs who lost their MP seats in Buganda included then Vice-President Edward Ssekandi, ministers Judith Nabakooba (information), Amelia Kyambadde (trade), Vincent Ssempijja (agriculture), Beti Kamya (lands) and Fred Ruhindi (Attorney General).
The state ministers, included John C. Muyingo (higher education), Rosemary Seninde (primary education), Ronald Kibuule (water), Haruna Kasolo (microfinance) and Godfrey Kiwanda (tourism).
Other state ministers were Benny Namugwanya (Kampala affairs), Florence Nakiwala Kiyingi (youth and children affairs) and Dennis Galabuzi (Luwero Triangle).
Museveni retained some as ministers and appointed others as his senior advisors.