Speaker of Parliament Anita Among won the NRM Central Executive Committee (CEC) race for the female vice chairperson seat on Wednesday, defeating former Speaker Rebecca Kadaga with a landslide of over 90%.
The announcement was made during the ruling party’s 5th National Conference at Kololo Independence Grounds, which brought together more than 23,000 delegates from across the country.
Among managed to secure 11,680 votes while Kadaga only managed to get 902 votes out of the 12,582 valid ballots, in what has been described as one of the most decisive election results in recent Ugandan political history. Signs of Among’s dominance were evident even before counting began, as long queues of delegates formed behind her while Kadaga struggled to gather visible support. Among swept all regions of the country, including overseas delegates, and secured overwhelming support in key strongholds.
Not long ago, Kadaga was against Among being in the race for second vice chairperson citing that “she is new to the party, and that her people in Busoga region would be mad”. However, Kadaga’s traditional stronghold of Busoga also saw Among outperforming her.
In districts such as Bugiri, Kaliro, Namayingo, Iganga, and Buyende, Among secured substantial margins, amassing a total of 499 votes (52.3%) against Kadaga’s 455 votes. Analysts note that Among has steadily eaten into the networks that once sustained Kadaga’s political career, building influence among Busoga legislators who previously relied on Kadaga for favours.
President Yoweri Kaguta Museveni has congratulated Speaker of Parliament Rt. Hon. Anita Among upon her election as the Second National Vice Chairperson (Female) of the National Resistance Movement (NRM).
“I congratulate the Rt. Hon. Anita Among upon being elected the Second National Vice Chairperson (Female) for the NRM,” Museveni said.
Speaker Among thanked her supporters for trusting her and supporting her. She also thanked Kadaga for running an excellent campaign and her significant contributions to the party and our country.
“I am truly grateful for your love and support, not just today but throughout the campaign trail. With deep humility, I accept this landslide victory. I want to express my gratitude to our mother, Rt Hon Rebecca Kadaga, for running an excellent campaign and her significant contributions to the party and our country. We will rely on her for advice and guidance in the days ahead. Let us return to work, mobilise for our Party leader and flag bearers, and ensure a resounding victory for the mighty NRM,” Among said.
It was here that President Museveni was also endorsed unopposed as the NRM National Chairman (2025–2031) and the party’s Presidential flag bearer for the 2026 general elections, and Al-Hajji Moses Kigongo was also re-elected unopposed as the First National Vice Chairperson of NRM.
Accompanied by First Lady and Minister of Education Janet Kataha Museveni, the President thanked delegates, the Central Executive Committee (CEC), and the National Executive Council (NEC) for their overwhelming support.
“Thank you for entrusting me to be your Chairman of the NRM for the period 2025–2031. Thank you for electing me as your flag bearer for the 2026–2031 presidential term. I will not let you down. We have got more capacity now than ever before,” Museveni said.
