KAMPALA – In a significant shakeup ahead of the 2026 general elections, National Economic Empowerment Dialogue (NEED) party president Joseph Kabuleta has suspended two of its top officials over allegations of defecting to rival political camps and espionage.
The suspended officials are the party’s former Secretary General, Basajja Charles, and its Publicity Secretary, Moses Matovu.
Announcing the decision, Mr. Kabuleta levied serious accusations against the two, claiming they had abandoned NEED to join opposing political formations. He specifically alleged that Basajja Charles had been acting as a spy within the party before formally crossing over to the Patriotic League of Uganda (PLU) to promote the political project of Gen. Muhoozi Kainerugaba, the First Son and Senior Presidential Advisor for Special Operations.
Regarding Moses Matovu, Kabuleta stated that the party’s former spokesman had defected to the long-standing opposition party, the Democratic Party (DP).
The suspensions appear to be part of a broader overhaul of the NEED party leadership as it positions itself for the upcoming electoral cycle. The move underscores the intense political maneuvering and realignments taking place within Uganda’s political landscape in the run-up to the 2026 polls.
As of now, there has been no public response from either Basajja Charles or Moses Matovu regarding the allegations made against them by the NEED president.
