The Revolutionary People’s Party (RPP) presidential candidate for 2026, Frank Bulira Kabinga, has accused sections of Uganda’s opposition of contributing to voter apathy by prioritizing personal gain over the struggle for regime change.
Speaking during the Presidential Candidates debate organized by Nation Media Group at Serena Hotel in Kampala on Sunday night, Kabinga argued that many Ugandan’s have lost hope in the electoral process because opposition leaders are focusing more on securing parliamentary positions and benefits than on removing President Yoweri Museveni from power.
“As we speak, the opposition is only looking at how many Members of Parliament they can get in order to secure more iPod money — not removing Mr. Museveni. That is why, as the RPP, we have not positioned a single candidate for Parliament,” he said.
Kabinga claimed that some candidates are more concerned with the financial incentives of political office than with genuine national transformation.
“People are just looking at getting 50 million shillings because they have lost hope. They think Mr. Museveni cannot go, so they say, ‘Let me get 300 million; with Mr. Museveni, God will decide.’ That is the problem with the opposition. We are now the problem of the country,” he said.
RPP’s Focus: Presidential Change, Not Parliamentary Positions
Kabinga explained that the RPP has deliberately avoided fielding parliamentary candidates, choosing instead to concentrate all efforts on winning the presidency.
He credited the late Dr. Aggrey Kiyingi with building a strong foundation for the party, which he says the current leadership is continuing.
“We are not looking for iPod money. Dr. Kiyingi left a great foundation for our party. Our focus is removing Mr. Museveni and bringing sanity back to Uganda,” he said.
He expressed confidence that once elected, legislators from across political parties would support his administration, saying the presidency is the key to realigning political institutions and restoring hope among Ugandans.
On Opposition Unity and Leadership
Responding to calls for opposition coalition-building, Kabinga acknowledged the role of figures like Robert Kyagulanyi, popularly known as Bobi Wine, in energizing the struggle.
However, he emphasized that Uganda’s fight for democratic change began long before the current political generation.
“This struggle started way back with leaders like Dr. Ssemogerere and Dr. Kiyingi. Even retired Colonel Dr. Kizza Besigye had massive crowds but did not deliver us to Canaan. Crowds are important, but they must be guided by a clear strategy,” he said.
Kabinga suggested that other opposition candidates should rally behind him, presenting himself as the leader capable of uniting the country.
“In fact, I would be the person Honorable Kyagulanyi would run behind. I don’t want Ugandans to be disappointed again. We have all the plans from A to Z,” he said.
Strategic Networks and Campaign Challenges
Kabinga claimed to have inherited Dr. Kiyingi’s extensive political networks and contacts, which he says strengthen his campaign.
He also alleged that state interference and international pressure have hindered his efforts, citing frozen accounts, intimidation of funders, and confiscation of campaign materials.
“My accounts were frozen. Funders were intimidated. My container of T-shirts from China was confiscated. They should all run behind me. I’m the only person to redeem this country,” he declared.
Kabinga concluded by calling on Ugandan’s to support his campaign, emphasizing that his focus is on delivering meaningful change and restoring hope to a disillusioned electorate.
