Veteran legislator and Bugweri County MP Hajji Abdu Katuntu has officially joined the ruling National Resistance Movement (NRM), marking a dramatic end to his long association with opposition politics and independent parliamentary life.
Katuntu was unveiled by President Yoweri Kaguta Museveni on Friday at State House Entebbe, where he was introduced to the NRM Parliamentary Caucus.
The announcement was followed by a grand rally in Bugweri on Saturday, where jubilant supporters cheered as Katuntu declared allegiance to the ruling party.
“Whoever believes in me as their captain, let us build a team to seek votes for President Museveni,” Katuntu told the crowd, signaling his commitment to deliver Bugweri’s support to the NRM in the 2026 general elections.
Katuntu’s defection closes a notable chapter in Uganda’s multiparty politics.
Once a prominent member of the Forum for Democratic Change (FDC), he served as the party’s shadow attorney general and one of its chief strategists during its formative years.
However, after internal divisions weakened the FDC, Katuntu opted to run as an independent in 2016, maintaining influence across political lines.
In Parliament, he has chaired several powerful committees, including Commissions, Statutory Authorities and State Enterprises (COSASE) and Rules, Privileges and Discipline, earning a reputation for legal acumen and political balance.
His cooperation with NRM legislators in recent sessions, especially on governance and accountability matters, had already hinted at a gradual realignment.
During the rally, Speaker Anita Among welcomed Katuntu’s move and urged him to “fully embrace the NRM agenda” and campaign actively for President Museveni’s re-election bid.
“Hon. Katuntu, I want you to request for votes for President Museveni,” Among said, noting that his entry would further unify Busoga’s political base.
Senior NRM strategists described Katuntu’s decision as a “strategic boost” for the party’s fortunes in the Busoga sub-region—an area where opposition sentiment has historically been strong.
Party insiders say Katuntu is expected to play a central role in reconciling local factions and coordinating grassroots mobilization ahead of 2026, with his Bugweri rally marking “the beginning of a new chapter” in his political career.
