Opposition MP attends NRM rally, says it is out of respect for Museveni

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Julius Emigu, an opposition Member of Parliament for Ochero County in Kaberamido district, has defended his decision to attend a campaign rally for the ruling National Resistance Movement (NRM) presidential candidate.

Emiju says that his presence should not be mistaken for political defection but rather a gesture of respect to the sitting Head of State.

Speaking in a media interview shortly after the rally, the legislator emphasised that his attendance was guided by protocol and respect for the office of the president, not partisan allegiance.

“It is not that I will be converted to NRM,” Emigu, who subscribes to the Forum for Democratic Change (FDC) party, said.

“I respect the President; he may be campaigning, getting votes for himself, but that does not remove the honour I should render to him as the Head of State,” Emigu said.

He explained that as a Member of Parliament, he is constitutionally bound to work with the government in power, regardless of his political affiliation.

“Even in the opposition, since my party president is not the sitting president of Uganda as of now, this is the one I work with because these positions cannot remain vacant. The position of the President has to be there, and the one for the MP has to be there,” he noted.

The MP also criticised the perception that opposition leaders must shun official or public events organised by the ruling party, saying such attitudes breed unnecessary divisions in the country.

Despite attending the NRM campaign event, the legislator expressed confidence in retaining his parliamentary seat, asserting that his performance has earned him overwhelming support from his constituents.

“I have even a much higher chance. Actually, I will triple the votes that I got in the last election,” he declared. “Because I have done what people who were there before me could not do, and they know it. There are projects in the pipeline which people will soon see.”

He said voters in his constituency have drawn clear comparisons between his leadership and that of his predecessors, something he believes will work in his favour once the campaigns officially start.

He is the pioneer MP for Ochero county, and he is set to face the NRM Francis Okullo, a new entrant in the politics of Kaberamido district.

Asked about the performance of his party, Emigu said that whereas his party’s flagbearer, Nathan Nandala Mafabi, has strong support in some regions, defeating a sitting president remains a formidable challenge.

“As of now, in some parts, he will win, but in other parts, it will not be easy. Campaigning against a sitting President is a very difficult thing, but we cannot lose hope. Politics is politics within a week or two before the vote is counted; things can change,” he added. 

In a dramatic turn of events, over 300 opposition supporters, some from the MP Emigu’s camp, crossed to the NRM, and they were received by President Yoweri Museveni.

The Speaker of Parliament, Anita Among, downplayed Emigu’s statement that opposition is strong in Kaberamido and Teso as a sub-region.

“Let nobody deceive you that opposition has any roots here. NRM has uprooted opposition, and you will come to believe me on the 15th of January 2026,” Among said with a smile.

Museveni started his campaigns in the Teso sub-region on Thursday with Kapelebyong district after concluding with Karamoja.

On Saturday, the president is going to hold two mega rallies in Katakwi district, the home of the vice president Jessica Alupo and conclude in Amuria district. He will have a day of rest on Sunday.