The Chief of Defence Forces and chairman of the Patriotic League of Uganda (PLU), Muhoozi Kainerugaba, has dropped Kasambya County MP David Kabanda as the Secretary General of the pressure group and replaced him with Fadhil Twaha in the reorganization of the movement’s top leadership.
The changes, announced by Gen. Muhoozi on Monday, also saw several senior government officials, ministers, legislators and influential figures appointed to the PLU Central Committee as the organization seeks to strengthen its political and organizational structures ahead of its next phase of growth.
Announcing the changes, Muhoozi praised Kabanda for his contribution to the organization and welcomed Twaha to his new role.
“The new General Secretary of PLU is Hon. Fadhil Twalla. I will work closely with him to achieve our objectives. I thank Hon. Kabanda for his three years of excellent service. He set the standard high for the position,” Muhoozi said.
The PLU chairman directed the organization’s National Vice Chairperson, Michael Nuwagira, commonly known as Toyota, to immediately organize a handover ceremony between Kabanda and Twaha.
“The National Vice Chairperson of PLU, Mr. Michael Nuwagira, is hereby instructed to organise the handover/takeover ceremony of the position of General Secretary of PLU as soon as possible. From Hon. Kabanda to Hon. Fadhil. All PLU Ministers and Members of Parliament must attend,” Muhoozi said.
Despite relinquishing the powerful secretary general position, Kabanda remains a member of the PLU Central Committee, signaling that he continues to enjoy the confidence of the organization’s top leadership.
Muhoozi also unveiled a number of new appointments to the Central Committee. They include ICT and National Guidance Minister Chris Baryomunsi? (No, not listed) and instead Agriculture Minister Frank Tumwebaze, Attorney General Kiryowa Kiwanuka, Hussein Kashillingi and media personality Alan Kasujja.
Kiryowa was additionally appointed Vice Chairman for Buganda, while Balaam Barugahara retained his position as Vice Chairman for Western Uganda.
Other notable appointments included Kwame Ruyondo as representative of NRA historicals, Jacob Oboth-Oboth and Thomas Tayebwa as members of the Central Committee and special envoys to Parliament, as well as businessman Sanjay Tanna as representative of the business community.
Muhoozi said the restructured leadership would be expected to support the country’s economic transformation agenda.
“Our task as PLU is to achieve Mzee’s target of a 500 billion dollar GDP by 2031. I will supervise ALL government departments to achieve that goal,” he said.
The leadership changes come months after Kabanda publicly expressed his desire to step down from the secretary general position, arguing that the office required a full-time leader without competing responsibilities.
In an earlier interview, Kabanda revealed that he had informed Muhoozi of his intentions and wanted to concentrate on his constituency and personal ventures.
“I want to concentrate on agriculture, my farms and my people in Kasambya. I think I have served enough, two years as General Secretary,” Kabanda said.
He argued that the position should ideally be occupied by someone without parliamentary responsibilities.
“It is important that that position is given to a person who does not have other responsibilities. If you are an MP, do the MP work so that this position is given to a person who is not an MP or who is not holding any other position,” he said.
Kabanda also suggested that some individuals within PLU were pursuing personal interests rather than the organization’s mission.
“There are some people in PLU who think that I am the one blocking their chances of getting what they want. Some are there because of money. They think if you give them money, they can take you to Muhoozi,” he said.
He added that while the group remained largely united, a few individuals were creating internal challenges.
“Just one weevil can finish the entire bag of beans. There can be a few pockets and they become a problem,” Kabanda remarked.
As one of the founding leaders of PLU, Kabanda was regarded as one of the most outspoken defenders of the movement and frequently acted as its public face. He played a prominent role in mobilizing support for Muhoozi’s political and ideological agenda and was particularly vocal during internal debates over leadership positions within the organization.
Most recently, Kabanda drew national attention when he publicly announced PLU’s endorsement of Oboth-Oboth for a key leadership role while distancing the movement from Speaker Anita Among amid allegations and controversies surrounding corruption scandals that had dominated public discourse.
Following his replacement, Kabanda struck a conciliatory tone, thanking Muhoozi for entrusting him with the responsibility of serving as the organization’s pioneer Secretary General.
“I take this opportunity to sincerely thank you, my Chairman, for the trust and confidence you placed in me by appointing me as the pioneer General Secretary of PLU. It has been a great honor to serve,” Kabanda said.
He also congratulated his successor, saying,“To Hon. Fadhil Twalla, I congratulate you on your appointment as General Secretary of PLU. Wishing you every success, Ndugu.”
The reshuffle ushers in a new chapter for PLU as the organization consolidates its structures and expands its influence within Uganda under Muhoozi’s leadership.
