Kampala, Uganda – June 22, 2025 – Shatsi Kutesa Musherure, daughter of the former foreign affairs minister Sam Kutesa, has announced her withdrawal from the race for the Mawogola North parliamentary seat just days after Nomination for NRM primaries. The decision, made public today, comes ahead of the upcoming party primaries scheduled for July 16th.
In a statement issued from her office as the Member of Parliament for Mawogola North, Sembabule District, Musherure cited “unfortunate events that took place during the same exercise of 2021,” where she stated the people of Mawogola North were unable to freely exercise their constitutional right to choose their leaders. She emphasized that “interventions to avert a similar situation have been considered.”
Following a meeting with President Yoweri Museveni, who is also the Chairman of the National Resistance Movement (NRM) party, and consultations with her family, Musherure confirmed her withdrawal. She listed four key reasons for her decision:
* Respect for the President, Chairman of the NRM Party, her elder and leader, and high regard for his guidance.
* To avoid subjecting her supporters to the threats, brutality, and insecurity they endured in the previous Sembabule NRM primary elections.
* To safeguard the unity of the people.
* To maintain the unity of the NRM party.
Sembabule was a flashpoint of chaos during the NRM primaries in 2021 as Museveni’s brother Sodo Kaguta and Shatsi Musherure clashed for the party flag. It took the intervention of President Yoweri Museveni to convince Sodo to withdraw giving Musherure a blank cheque. Upon nominations on Thursday, Sodo Kaguta told journalists that it’s now his time to go to parliament because it was agreed in 2021 that Musherure would serve for 5 years and let him also come and serve.
Musherure expressed her gratitude to President Museveni for the opportunity to serve as a leader and Member of Parliament since 2021, stating, “I have rendered selfless service to my people because it is my duty and calling to do so.”
In a separate message addressed to her supporters, Musherure conveyed “a heavy heart” regarding her decision, acknowledging the disappointment it would cause. However, she expressed comfort in the belief that “in the ashes of such setbacks that the seeds of future success germinate.”
She also extended special thanks to her “Goberera Initiative team and its leadership” for their “sterling performance in following up on government programs,” which she hailed as an example of achieving success with dedication.
Musherure concluded her message by affirming her continued dedication to her constituents, stating, “I remain ready to serve you. God bless you.”
This withdrawal marks a significant development in the political landscape of Mawogola North, leaving the field open for other contenders in the upcoming NRM primaries especially Sodo Kaguta.
