The Independent Uganda: You get the Truth we Pay the Price
Rukungiri, Uganda | THE INDEPENDENT | Dr. Wallen Nuwagaba Tumwiine, former Rukungiri Municipality FDC flag bearer, says he regrets supporting the opposition, because there is no political direction.
In FDC’s 2020 party primaries Nuwagaba beat then incumbent Roland Mugume Kagyinda and Ingrid Turinawe to the 2021 flag. As Kagyinda conceded, Turinawe defined and stood as an independent candidate. Both Nuwagaba and Turinawe lost to NRM’s Elias Rutahigwa.
For the 2026 elections, Nuwagaba who had crossed to PFF that broke from FDC failed to secure the flag that was given to Ingrid Turinawe. Nuwagaba defied and contested as an independent candidate. The seat was won by NRM’s retired Lieutenant General Henry Tumukunde.
On Monday, Nuwagaba revealed to our reporter in an interview that he had never regretted being in opposition until recently when he recognized that the opposition is worse than NRM. Nuwagaba cites too much infighting the opposition has disillusioned him about any values or commitment therein.
Nuwagaba says that he has been fooled enough for many years and cannot accept to continue the same way. Nuwagaba says he regret many years he has spent in oppostition explaining that even after breaking away from FDC to form PFF party, nothing has changed because infighting has continued.
Nuwagaba says he regreted why he wasted time in opposition during recently concluded general elections when he saw PFF party leaders endorsing retired Major General Mugisha Muntu the Alliance for National Transformation (ANT) party presidential flag bearer yet same leaders are the ones who once accused him of being a mole when he was still in FDC party (Muntu FDC in 2018).
Nuwagaba says he now regrets his energy, time, effort and money opposing what later alone became worse by NRM.
Nuwagaba suggests that all political parties be abolished and Uganda gets back into the old movement system where individual merit takes precedence. He says this will also reduce on the level of commercialization of politics.
Rukungiri has been known as the strong hold of opposition due to being the home ground for retired Colonel Dr Kiiza Besigye. But, during the recent 2026 general elections, the parliamentary seats of Rujumbura and Rubabo counties, Rukungiri Municipality and District Woman MP were taken by the NRM party.The district LC5 and Municipality Mayor seats were also taken by NRM party.
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