Kadaga vs. Among: Who Will Rule the NRM’s Inner Circle?

The ruling National Resistance Movement (NRM) has seen its share of internal rivalries. Still, few have gripped the party like the current showdown between Speaker Anita Among and her predecessor, Rebecca Kadaga. Their contest for the Second National Vice Chairperson (Female) seat is no ordinary election. It’s a clash of legacy and momentum, seasoned loyalty and swift ascent. And it all comes to a head when the NRM holds its Central Executive Committee (CEC) elections this week.

Kadaga: The Veteran Torchbearer

Rebecca Alitwala Kadaga is no stranger to political battles. Since 1989, she has been at the heart of the NRM story, serving in different capacities until she reached the peak as Speaker of Parliament from 2011 to 2021. She was pivotal in steering the 2017 constitutional amendment that scrapped the presidential age limit, a move that allowed President Museveni to continue beyond 75. That moment cemented her as one of the President’s most reliable guardians of continuity.

But her iron-fisted control in Parliament also earned her critics. By the time she lost her Speaker’s seat in 2021, many expected her influence to fade. Yet, Kadaga remains a giant, especially in Busoga, where her name still carries weight.

Among: The Swift Riser

In contrast, Anita Among’s journey has been meteoric. Once affiliated with the opposition, she crossed into the NRM in 2020 and quickly rose through the ranks. Winning her Bukedea seat unopposed in 2021, she was propelled into the Speaker’s chair in 2022 after the sudden death of Jacob Oulanyah.

Her leadership style is cooperative, pragmatic, and, crucially, has won Museveni’s favor. The President has openly praised her for reducing friction between Parliament and the executive, a veiled critique of Kadaga’s sometimes combative tenure.

The CEC Showdown

Now, both women have set their sights on the coveted seat of Second National Vice Chairperson (Female) within the CEC, the party’s most powerful decision-making organ.

Kadaga leans on her history, reminding colleagues that she has never wavered from the NRM since 1989. Among counters with tradition, insisting that the seat has always belonged to the sitting Speaker. In a cutting yet respectful remark, she told delegates: “That position belongs to the current Speaker… and that is Among. Actually, it is the Right Honourable Kadaga, my mother, who is standing against me.”

Museveni, ever the mediator, stepped in with a compromise. He suggested that one of them step aside, promising to use his nomination powers to keep both within CEC. But neither budged. Both refused to withdraw. The President’s face, insiders say, betrayed visible displeasure at their defiance.

As speculation swirled that Museveni favored Among, he publicly reassured Kadaga of his neutrality. “If I have a problem with Kadaga, I tell her directly. I don’t use proxies,” he declared, seeking to calm her camp.

But on the ground, especially in Busoga, the rivalry is fierce. Kadaga has framed herself as the custodian of NRM’s original flame, while Among arrives with development projects and the confidence of fresh presidential favor.

What’s at Stake in August 2025

The NRM’s 4th National Conference, scheduled for August 27–28, 2025, at Kololo Independence Grounds, will decide their fate. Delegates will cast their votes in what is expected to be one of the most closely watched internal elections in years. The result will not just decide who sits in CEC, it will reveal whether the NRM is still anchored in the loyalty of its veterans or turning toward the energy of its fast-rising power players.