In 2017, social media was a wash with photos of a man who was captured kissing the shoe of Prophet Elvis Mbonye, a self-styled prophet known for his largely accurate prophecies on Uganda and the rest of the world.
Joseph Kiiza Kabuleta, a well known journalist and pastor of the Watchman Ministries, instantly became the poster child of Mbonye’s followers, the remnants who saw no problem in kissing the prophet’s shoes. To them, this was one way of honoring Mbonye, the man who is almost believed to have direct access to the heavenly realms; a man who is said to speak directly with God Almighty, a man who can reportedly fight and bruise the devil!
But Kabuleta has seen — or rather undergone — tremendous transformation. From being hunted and detained for his scathing attacks against members of the first family, including the first and now Commander of the UPDF Land Forces (whose presidential credentials he punched holes in), to running for president in the 2021 general elections, Joseph Kiiza Kabuleta is the new kid on Uganda’s political scene.
For those who have followed the youthful and knowledgeable politician from Bunyoro in months following the 2021 presidential election to-date, Kabuleta is that articulate politician that has in recent months exposed the Gen Yoweri Kaguta Tibuhaburwa Museveni regime, trying to prove his ‘make them poor’ allegation against Uganda’s ruler for nearly four decades.
From lifting the lid on the security crisis in Karamoja to the controversies surrounding the sale of minerals, Kabuleta has proven to be a master when it comes to explaining Uganda’s problems and linking them to Museveni’s actions or inactions.
His weekly press conferences at Bugolobi in Kampala have been steadily gaining attention. Riding on his National Economic Empowerment Dialogue (Need) pressure group, the politician has been making shocking revelations on the state of the economy, corruption and theft from various regions and sectors.
Kabuleta’s Need offices were a few months ago raided by suspected CMI and other security operatives who reportedly wanted to arrest Kabuleta but the journalist-turned-politician escaped narrowly. (Read Story Here).
But beginning today, October 03, 2022, Need will no longer be a pressure group but rather a political party, Kabuleta announced at a press conference in Bugolobi in the capital Kampala.
Need will be added to the list of political parties that have sought to end Gen Museveni’s ruling National Resistance Army/Movement (NRA/M) dominance of political and economic power for nearly four decades.
It is the country’s newest political party in the post-2021 elections period. In the 2021 polls, Kabuleta stood as an independent candidate under the Reclaim Our Country and Kin (Rock) platform.
There were also fairly new parties taking part in the 2021 elections. These included former army commander and ex-FDC president Maj Gen (Rtd) Gregg Mugisha Muntu’s Alliance for National Transformation (ANT) and singer-turned-musician Robert Kyagulanyi aka Bobi Wine’s National Unity Platform (NUP) which eclipsed the Forum for Democratic Change (FDC) to emerge Uganda’s main opposition party in Parliament.
Kabuleta now seems focused on the 2026 presidential, parliamentary and local council elections with promises of putting money in Ugandans’ pockets. Still wondering? Well, ‘Money in Your Pocket’ is the slogan of the Need party.
In the 2021 presidential election, Kabuleta’s slogan was financial liberation. His message was that Ugandans should be economically empowered and that their standards of living should be improved, especially given how the impoverished East African nation is endowed with natural resources.
The Need party symbol will be a maize cob, its colors will be black and white while Kabuleta will steer the new political party as its founding president, and possibly its 2026 presidential candidate.
“Change will definitely happen, the change that Need proposes will definitely be to the benefit of everyone. It’s possible to empower people and put money in their pockets without giving them handouts,” said Kabuleta.
This as the race to 2026 seems to be taking shape. Just on Saturday, October 01, 2022, Vice President Jessica Alupo and cabinet ministers endorsed Gen Museveni as the NRM sole candidate for the 2026 election. (Read Story Here).
Museveni’s son and UPDF Land Forces Commander Lt Gen Muhoozi Kainerugaba has also made it clear to Bobi Wine that ‘we will never allow him (Bobi Wine or Kabobi) to become Uganda’s president. (Read Story Here).
Meanwhile, a prophet who accurately predicted William Ruto’s presidency in Kenya has revealed the man who will become Uganda’s president after Museveni has retired. (Read Story HERE).
