ROAD TO 2026
By Joseph Masereka
Political pressure is piling on Kasese Municipality MP Ferigo Kambale ahead of 2026 general election. One of the candidates keen on ejecting MP Kambale of President Yoweri Museveni’s ruling National Resistance Movement (NRM) is Robert Motoma of Robert Kyagulanyi aka Bobi Wine’s National Unity Platform (NUP), Uganda’s main opposition political party.
The Pearl Times’ Joseph Masereka sat with ROBERT MOTOMA to try and understand his political journey so far and prospects for the Kasese Municipality parliamentary race.
Born in 1994 in Kanyatsi Village, Kitholhu Sub County in Kasese District, Motoma is a professional lawyer working with Kanyonyi company advocates. Residents of Majengo, Rukoki Ward in Nyamwamba Division of Kasese Municipality know Motoma well.
Education
He attended Kahokya Primary School, Trinity Vocational College for O-level, King Jesus College Mubuku for his A-level. All these schools are found in Kasese District.
Motoma would then proceed to Uganda Pentecostal University (UPU) where he did a Bachelor of Laws before he joined the Law Development Centre (LDC) for a Post-Graduate Diploma in Legal Practice.
Currently pursuing a master’s degree at Bishop Stuart University in Mbarara City, Motoma is also the Director of Asingya Development Foundation Uganda, a non-Governmental foundation based in Kasese Municipality.
The 30-year-old Kasese Municipality parliamentary hopeful is still single.
Political Career
Motoma has been honing his political skills over the years. At Kahokya Primary School, he served as Debate Prefect. He served as the Speaker of the School Council during his time at Trinity vocational college.
He would later serve as the Head Prefect at King Jesus College Mubuku from 2014 to 2015.
Politics
Motoma emerged on the political scene during the 2021 general elections where he mobilized and campaigned for the then major opposition party Forum for Democratic Change (FDC).
He picks his inspiration from Robert Kyagulanyi aka Bobi Wine, the singer-turned-politician who shook President Yoweri Museveni in the previous presidential election on his first attempt.
“Bobi Wine, our principal, inspires me. His commitment to the struggle is an inspiration to many young people. He is our generational leader and a trusted voice against the Museveni dictatorship,” Motoma tells The Pearl Times.
Putting Kasese Municipality on the Right Track
The youthful politician accuses incumbent MP Kambale of failing the people of Kasese Municipality when it comes to issues such as health, education and unemployment.
“Look at our schools, look at our health facilities. Also, our young people are desperate because of unemployment. They need someone like me who understands their issues,” Motoma says.
If elected as Kasese Municipality MP, he plans to undertake initiatives aimed at empowering the youth with vocational skills, creating employment opportunities, improving education system and ensuring direct ways of financial inclusion to help constituents access cheap credit to invest in small and medium enterprises (SMEs).
The Race
Motoma will have to first battle it out with other NUP candidates such as Sam Baluku and Stuart Mubaraka. If he emerges as the official party candidate, he will face flag bearers of other parties.
Incumbent MP Kambale is said to be still interested in defending his seat from other party hopefuls such as Francis Kithulha, Madaraka, and Imanishimwe. Former MP Robert Centenary of the FDC also plans to reclaim his seat.
In the 2021 parliamentary election, Kambale garnered 14,213 votes to beat off competition from six other candidates. FDC-leaning independent candidate Centenary managed 11,460 votes, official FDC candidate Gideon Ntabose polled 1,864 while NUP Sam Baluku got 1,032 votes.
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