Fresh political controversy has erupted across Uganda following sensational claims that former Speaker of Parliament Rebecca Kadaga allegedly apologised during a closed-door State House meeting after being confronted with accusations of attempting to bewitch President Yoweri Museveni and members of the First Family.
The explosive allegations were made by veteran journalist Andrew Mwenda, who claimed that President Museveni personally presented audio and video recordings allegedly linking Kadaga to witchcraft-related activities targeting him and several senior figures within Uganda’s political establishment.
According to Pulse.ug, the dramatic confrontation reportedly took place during a high-level meeting held at State House last Thursday, a gathering that was initially believed to focus on the political troubles surrounding current Speaker Anita Among.
Mwenda, who heads communications at the Patriotic League of Uganda, made the claims while appearing on the Bad Natives podcast. His statements have since triggered widespread shock, disbelief, and heated public debate across social media and political circles.
He alleged that the meeting was attended by President Museveni, Rebecca Kadaga, Anita Among, three bishops, and senior military figure Gen Proscovia Nalweyiso. According to Mwenda, many participants initially believed the discussion would center on the growing investigations and pressure surrounding Anita Among.
However, Mwenda claimed Museveni unexpectedly shifted the focus of the meeting toward Kadaga and the alleged recordings connecting her to attempts to bewitch several members of the ruling establishment.
“It turned out that the meeting was not about Anita Among and that was how Museveni wanted to structure it,” Mwenda reportedly said during the podcast discussion.
He further alleged that Museveni played both audio and video recordings during the meeting, which allegedly showed Kadaga consulting a witch doctor with intentions directed toward President Museveni, First Lady Janet Museveni, Gen Salim Saleh, Gen Muhoozi Kainerugaba, and Anita Among herself.
Mwenda claimed that after the recordings were played, Kadaga allegedly admitted that she had indeed visited a traditional healer and acknowledged the authenticity of the recordings presented before the meeting participants.
According to the claims, the former Speaker reportedly broke down emotionally and apologized during the tense encounter. Mwenda alleged that the entire meeting became centered around the accusations involving attempts to spiritually target the five senior figures.
Despite the seriousness of the allegations, Rebecca Kadaga has not publicly responded to the claims made by Mwenda. The accusations remain unverified, and no official evidence has been publicly released to support the assertions made during the podcast discussion.
The sensational allegations have added another dramatic chapter to Uganda’s already tense political environment, especially at a time when Parliament and senior political figures are facing growing scrutiny over corruption allegations and internal power struggles.
Mwenda further claimed that the issue of Anita Among’s wealth only surfaced after the State House meeting had concluded. According to him, one of the bishops present reportedly raised concerns about Among’s alleged accumulation of excessive wealth.
It is this discussion, Mwenda claimed, that allegedly triggered the investigations and security operations now targeting Anita Among and several parliamentary offices.
In recent days, detectives have reportedly carried out searches at Anita Among’s residences in Bukedea, Nakasero, and Munyonyo-Kigo as part of ongoing investigations into allegations of corruption, abuse of office, money laundering, illicit enrichment, and possible breaches of the Leadership Code Act.
The investigations later expanded beyond her homes and reportedly extended into Parliament itself, including the Office of the Clerk to Parliament, the Directorate of Finance, and offices linked to external auditors.
Investigators are said to believe that materials recovered from the searches may serve as exhibits in the widening corruption probe, which continues to attract significant public attention across the country.
Meanwhile, Rebecca Kadaga remains one of Uganda’s most influential and longest-serving female politicians. She has represented Kamuli District as Woman Member of Parliament since 1989 and has held several senior government positions over the decades.
Her political career includes serving as Minister of State for Regional Cooperation, Minister of State for Communication and Aviation, and Minister for Parliamentary Affairs before becoming Deputy Speaker in 2001.
Kadaga later made history in 2011 when she became Uganda’s first female Speaker of Parliament, a position she held until 2021 before losing the speakership race to Jacob Oulanyah after the ruling NRM party endorsed him.
President Museveni later appointed her First Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for East African Community Affairs in June 2021, keeping her within the top ranks of government despite the speakership loss.
Kadaga and Anita Among have long been viewed as political rivals within the NRM, with tensions between their camps becoming increasingly visible during internal party contests, including disagreements over the party’s eastern region vice chairperson position.
As the shocking allegations continue circulating, political observers say the unfolding saga reflects deepening divisions, mistrust, and fierce power struggles within Uganda’s ruling establishment ahead of the country’s next major political transition.
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