Kania battles Terego East race, accuses opposition backing NRM’s Babanga

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Urban development state minister Obiga Kania is facing a tough ride to retain the Terego East Member of Parliament seat come the 2026 General Election. 

Kania is pitted against four other candidates, with the main challenger being National Resistance Movement (NRM) flag-bearer Wilfred Babanga, who is optimistic of winning the general elections.

Speaking to New Vision Online on December 23, 2025, Kania accused the Opposition of infiltrating the campaigns, ganging up to plot his downfall in the NRM primaries.

The race for Terego East Constituency has attracted candidates, including Babanga, John Amandi of the National Unity Platform, and Sunday Drapari ofthe  Democratic Party. Those on the Independent ticket are Kania and Victor Jadribo.

Kania says the campaigns are characterised by the Opposition fighting him and campaigning for the NRM flagbearer and candidate Babanga, accusing him of double standards.

The Minister decided to contest on an independent ticket, claiming the NRM party's primary elections were marred with irregularities. 

I'm protecting NRM interests 

“I am here to protect the interests of the National Resistance Movement NRM party. It is not true that standing as an independent makes me lose my affiliation and ideology of the NRM party, but it is my political right to stand as an independent,” Kania said.

From 1986, when NRM took over power, I have been in the NRM I have not changed, and I have no intention to change, Kania said.

“When a peaceful process of election is denied, then you go to war to recover. I am also aware, a number of the people who claim to be NRM are pretenders and the same people, their campaign managers are in the Opposition,” Kania said.

Kania says the NRM candidate and flagbearer was introduced by the opposition to fight and oppose his candidature. “I am a true NRM cadre whose ideological process and campaigns are going very well. We are fully concerned and campaigning for the President and genuine NRM people, but not those who claim to be NRM” Kania aid.

“I will receive victory for President Museveni and victory for myself," he added.

According to Kania, he has served in NRM since 1986 in the Constituency Assembly and advocated for the Movement, which formed the current NRM party.

My contribution is paramount, and Article 69 of the Constitution of Uganda allows people to stand on different political parties, which motion I moved, Kania said.

Kania, who served in the sixth parliament, said he made contributions in the creation of new districts like Adjumani, Koboko, Pakwach, among others, which were passed when he was the chairperson of the parliamentary commission committee on public service and local government.

Serving as director of research for seven years in the Movement's political arm of intelligence. While out of office, Kania says he continues to struggle for the creation of the Terego district and the creation of two constituencies in the district under the NRM party, with support from the head of state and the chairman of the NRM party.

In the recent 10 years from 2016 to date, Kania says he has made contributions under infrastructural development funded by USMID for refugee-hosting districts and urban Municipalities.

Health, social services, sports, administrative units in Yumbe, Arua City, Terego, Madi Okollo, among other districts, including power extension. Kania says as NRM party chairman, the attempt to take NRM out of Terego is what he is fighting to protect.

Kania says he is seeking re-election to ensure more administrative units are created in Terego, whose size is three times the size of other districts. When the government lifts the ban on the creation of more administrative units, we shall lobby for more administrative units.

Minister Kania says he will lobby for more connection of power and water to the end-user communities in Terego district, with a number of communities still drinking dirty water.

The road connecting Manibe to Yumbe, which is already under construction, is a project Kania says he will ensure the government co-funds and completes the process. The survey of the road has been completed, with construction works funded by JICA from Yumbe to River Ore underway.

Kania accused the Opposition of campaigning for NRM as a strange matrix. He claims the opposition brought somebody to contest in NRM, and after the Primary election, the same people turned around to support their opposition candidates”.

If there is a catechist transferred, do you ask for an imam to replace the catechist? The answer is no, Kania said.

These people who are campaigning for the NRM have a grand plan to capture NRM and throw it away and restore the Opposition in Terego. He also claims, the NRM candidate has refused to campaign with the other NRM flag-bearers but campaigns with the Opposition.

Fortunately, I know Terego's challenges

Responding to the claims, Wilfred Babanga said he has been fortunate working in Terego East prior to joining politics under the civil service sector.

NRM Flagbearer and Candidate for Terego East Constituency, Wilfred Babanga. (Photo By Robert Ariaka)

He said Terego has a lot of poverty, and the people are looking for somebody who can lift them out of poverty. 

"The President talks about wealth creation, all my work life, I have been working as a developer, and I offer the candidature to the people".

“As I move in the community, I could point out to the classrooms I constructed, the teacher's house I constructed and support to the community through Babanga Foundation, which is visible and creating impact”, Babanga said.

He added that he stands on a manifesto with three key pillars of community support. "Terego is one of the poorest in West Nile and needs somebody who can support them, which I facilitate through the Babanga foundation, which has far-reaching aspects of the community".

Secondly, the focus on wealth creation in the NRM manifesto is a key brand I will deliver to the people of Terego. Thirdly, I stand for unity for better development. Babanga identifies the challenges of basic necessities, health care, education, electricity connectivity, piped water system and wealth creation for the people of Terego.

Babanga said he is surprised that some communities in Duku in Terego district still have guinea worms, which affects the people with a call for clean water.  

Babanga says several people have not been able to benefit from the Parish Development Model PDM.

What happened in the primary elections with 20 parishes, Babanga said he won in the 18 parishes, which signifies the reason he is still popular and expects the margin to increase.

He said the opposition did not vote in the primary elections, but this time a number of the opposition have come out to cross over to NRM to support President Museveni and his candidature.

“My destructors have been claiming that I am Opposition, but I have been working with the UN, which has helped promote government work. In order to do my work well, I kept my principles and integrity until I had to resign to participate in politics as NRM, and I will continue to be an NRM member,” Babanga added.

The talking points given to leaders from NRM are helping communities access land rights, and as Babanga, I contributed to the acquisition of 20 percent of the over 1003 community land certificates issued to the people when I was working in the civil society.

“Am doing what I have always believed will bring Terego, West Nile and the country out of poverty. I believe in winning with a huge margin to protect the votes and victory of the people,” Babanga disclosed.

Wilfred Saka, the LC5 chairman Terego district. (Photo by Robert Ariaka)

Wilfred Saka, the LC5 chairperson Terego, who is also an LC5 candidate for Alliance for National Transformation ANT, says small rats ganged up to do away with the mighty person and the NRM flag was taken by Babanga.

He said one person can never be aggressive with everybody, holding back development in the district. The fights cannot reduce my political mileage but empower me more.

“For me, Babanga is a better person to represent the people of Terego. If I had the powers, I would have declared Mr Babanga and the Woman MP unopposed but some people still think they are relevant,” Saka told New Vision Online.

Saka said Terego needs more roads, bridges for accessibility, making access to markets easier. Citing the Leju market from Okalaka to Arua. When the city is planning, we should plan and pick the developments from the city to our district.

“We do not have a district hospital. I first want to see a district hospital and a community hospital in Terego. If you fainted here today, the highest facility you can access is Obofia Health Centre II, which needs to be upgraded,” Saka said.

He dreams of a teacher’s resource centre and needs to construct a piped water system to avoid spending money on boreholes, which are affected by desilting.

Saka believes the youth have not been mobilised, a reason he needs to mobilise projects to support the youth. This will be done alongside mobilising the people to produce enough and earn income.

My prayer is, this common enemy of Terego lost the first round, lost the second round in the tribunal, and he needs to lose the third round in the general elections. We are teaching people how to eat his money but vote for Babanga.

Saka appeals to the President to appoint better people, other than people who are fighting lower leaders everywhere. If you are coming from where you are and you are affecting me, I will follow you where you are, Saka said.