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The Secretary General of the Forum for Democratic Change (FDC) Party in Masindi Municipality, Rogers Amanyire Abwooli, has defected to the ruling party, the National Resistance Movement (NRM) causing mixed reactions from different political camps.

Amanyire, who contested for Masindi Municipality Mayor in the 2021 elections on the FDC ticket, on Saturday, March 16 registered his credentials in the yellow NRM book in Kayanja Cell, Central Division.

The ruling party is currently updating the members' register ahead of the 2026 polls.

In a brief interview, Amanyire said that he decided to defect after conducting thorough consultations with electorates.

Politicians from different political parties have reacted to his move with some accusing NRM of "killing" multiparty politics.

Godwin Angalia Kasigwa, the Kibaale Resident District Commissioner, who welcomed Amanyire to the NRM party said some people join the opposition political parties without knowing or understanding their missions and targets.

Angalia, who was formerly the National Unity Platform (NUP) Coordinator for Bunyoro Sub Region before defecting to the ruling party, added that the opposition political parties are not after liberating this country apart from the NRM, which is not selective and welcomes every individual from different political parties.

Rogers Wycliffe Kasaija, who recently expressed interest in contesting for the Bujenje County MP seat in 2026 under the NUP ticket, alleged that the NRM has disorganized political parties and created mistrust among members, to the extent that confused members are now running around, forgetting the values that made them join those political parties in the first place.

According to him, NRM interfered in the affairs of FDC by bringing in dirty money, stressing that now FDC and NRM look alike in terms of stealing public funds; hence, he can easily move from FDC to NRM without regard to the values he enshrined before.

Kasaija, however, says that Amanyire’s move is bad for the opposition but equally bad for NRM because a weak opposition cannot adequately act as a check on the excesses of NRM.

Fredrick Banage Bitamale, the Masindi District FDC Chairman, said that the party members have a right to defect or stay. "We shall continue recruiting new members," he added.

Patrick Musinguzi, an FDC member from Hoima, thinks that Amanyire made the wrong choice to join NRM because he thinks whatever made him leave NRM to join FDC hasn't yet changed.

"The higher youth unemployment, high poverty in Uganda, too much corruption, etc. All those issues haven't changed, I’m sure many Ugandans are still experiencing the same issues,’’ he said, adding, ‘’However, I respect my brother; the choice he made in joining back the NRM could have an impact on the NRM.’’