The National Economic Empowerment Dialogue (NEED) Party President and national chairperson, Mr. Joseph Kiiza Kabuleta is a man in hot soup because his party has revolted against him.
His colleagues two days ago suspended him for a period of 90 days effective August 1, 2025, over a litany of internal misconduct, ranging from abuse of power, sectarian tendencies, to financial opacity and violation of party protocols.
Before his suspension Kiiza Kabuleta has been involved in a torrential of moves of attacking the NRM government promising what seems to be ‘heaven on earth’ in his moves and aims to transform Uganda if elected President soon.
In a press release signed by the party’s National Spokesperson Mr. Matovu Moses, the National Executive Committee (NEC) outlined 14 grave accusations against Mr. Kabuleta. Chief among these is his unilateral declaration as the party’s presidential flag bearer without any approval from NEC or the National Delegates Conference—an act deemed a direct affront to the party’s internal democratic processes.
The NEC further accuses Mr. Kabuleta of practising tribal discrimination during internal party decisions, notably in the expulsion of some executive members allegedly based on their ethnic backgrounds—specifically for being Baganda and Banyarwanda. These actions, according to the party, sow division and violate the values of unity and inclusivity that NEED claims to uphold.
Kabuleta also sparked national outrage after referring to residents of Lubaga as “slum dwellers”—a comment widely condemned as offensive and degrading, especially coming from a leader whose party offices were based in the area. Moreover, the NEC revealed that Kabuleta attempted to arbitrarily relocate party offices from Lubaga without consultation and tried to terminate the tenancy agreement without transparency.
Among the administrative failings cited is the expulsion of NEC members without due process, habitual absenteeism from party meetings, the formation of a parallel faction within the party, and ignoring official summons by NEC-appointed committees. The party further noted that Kabuleta has been operating with unverified financial sources and has failed to account for party assets and expenditures.
Perhaps most alarming to NEC was his reported remark: “I am NEED Party, and NEED is me,” which NEC interpreted as an attempt to personalize a public political entity and undermine collective leadership. This, coupled with his continuous disregard for internal structures, led the party to suspend him and ban him from transacting any party business—including use of assets or organizing meetings—during the 90-day period.
In the interim, the Deputy National Chairperson will assume leadership roles and steer the party forward as internal processes are stabilized.
The suspension of a sitting party president, especially one as high-profile as Kabuleta—a former journalist and presidential candidate—marks a significant and dramatic turning point for NEED, one of Uganda’s newer political formations built on promises of economic justice and national empowerment.
The party has made it clear that any violation of the suspension terms will attract stricter disciplinary action, signaling a broader effort to restore order and discipline within its ranks.
Meanwhile efforts to reach Kabuleta for a comment were futile as he was not picking his calls. We may say he has snubbed the eastafricanwatch.net reporter calls.
But various Political commentators say that Kabuleta has now been technically thrown out of the political race for president in the next elections since he may not resolve them in time to get nominated excerpt if he contests as an independent candidate.
“Mr. Kabuleta is more less politically finished, he has no political party and if he fails to manage a small party, if he must contest perhaps as an independent candidate people and the masses can’t buy him or vote him.
If you fail to run a small political party what are you going to tell Ugandans in the next Presidential elections?” Mathew Mugisha asked.
Sources at the Electoral commission said if Kabuleta and others don’t get nominated then they can not get involved or participate in polls as Presidential candidates.
“We have official timelines, you comply with them or fail to be in the exercise, so Kabuleta is not an exception” an EC official said.
Another person Mukibi Betty said Kabuleta and his group have not been an organized political party that presents itself as an alternative government.
“We can’t tell whether he is in bed with the regime or not but their behaviors are not helping Ugandans, we are now shocked that they are fighting and Kabuleta has been suspended by his group”.
