KAMPALA, Uganda – A prominent Ugandan opposition legislator has made explosive claims that a candidate in the upcoming 2026 presidential race is being sponsored by President Yoweri Museveni to disrupt the opposition’s electoral strategy.
Ibrahim Ssemujju Nganda, the Secretary General of the Talkative People’s Front for Freedom (PFF) and MP for Kira Municipality, stated that Presidential candidate Robert Kasibante is a political calculation by President Museveni to “soften” his path to victory. Ssemujju described Kasibante’s candidacy as a “protest vote” orchestrated from within the system.
According to Ssemujju, President Museveni meticulously manages every aspect of the electoral process, and Kasibante’s primary role is to manipulate the ballot paper order.
“Museveni doesn’t want Bobi Wine (Robert Kyagulanyi Ssentamu) to be on the top of the ballot paper because he always makes sure he is at the bottom,” Ssemujju alleged. “So, he had to hire someone to help him execute that job, and that’s why we are seeing Kasibante in the race.”
Ssemujju explained the specific mechanism of the alleged tactic. He noted that both Robert Kyagulanyi and Robert Kasibante share the first name “Robert,” and their second names begin with the letter “K.” However, because “Kasibante” comes alphabetically before “Kyagulanyi,” Kasibante’s name would appear above Bobi Wine’s on the ballot.
Ssemujju claimed this alphabetical reordering is designed to confuse voters who may intend to vote for Bobi Wine.
The legislator further asserted that the only figures capable of defeating Museveni’s political machinations are seasoned opponents who understand his methods, specifically naming former presidential candidates Dr. Kizza Besigye and Gen. Mugisha Muntu.
The allegations highlight the intense and often contentious political landscape in Uganda ahead of the 2026 polls, where the order of names on the ballot is viewed as a significant strategic factor.
