KAMPALA, Uganda — Former Prime Minister, Rt. Hon. John Patrick Amama Mbabazi and ICT Minister Dr. Chris Baryomunsi put on a rare public show of political unity during a high profile gathering in Kampala that brought together influential leaders from Kanungu District.
Mbabazi, accompanied by his wife Hon. Jacqueline Mbabazi, attended a congratulatory dinner held for Dr. Baryomunsi on May 13 at Nanjing Hotel in Kololo following the minister’s swearing in as Kinkizi East Member of Parliament for the new parliamentary term.
The event, attended by political, business and district leaders, quickly evolved into a platform for reconciliation, cooperation and renewed calls for collective development in Kanungu.
Dr. Chris Baryomunsi, fellout with the Mbabazis – Amama and his wife Jacqueline in 2005 after what he claimed as Mbabazi family never wanting him to join Parliament. This bad blood was precipitated by Mbabazi’s brother-in-law, Aggrey Rwatangabo.
Speaking at the gathering, Mbabazi emphasized the need for leaders to work together regardless of past perceptions and political differences. He described the occasion as historic, saying it marked the first time in two decades of parliamentary service that he had shared such a moment with Dr. Baryomunsi.
“I have never had any issues with Hon. Dr. Baryomunsi,” Mbabazi said. “If there is a man I am happy for and lucky to have as a friend, it is Dr. Chris Baryomunsi.”
The former premier dismissed long standing speculation of tensions between the two leaders and praised Baryomunsi as “a jolly, free and generous man.” He urged residents and leaders in Kanungu to abandon division and focus on development.
Mbabazi, who represented Kinkizi West until 2015, reflected on his years in leadership and reaffirmed his willingness to continue contributing to national and regional progress.
“I might not have done a lot during my time, but I was not only the leader of Kanungu District or Uganda. I represented the whole of East Africa,” he said. “Since I am still alive, together with the other leaders, a lot will be achieved.”
Dr. Baryomunsi, flanked by his wife Fosca Baryomunsi, echoed the appeal for unity and pledged to use his new term to strengthen cooperation among district leaders.
“I will use the next term in office to ensure that Kanungu leaders work together to develop the district to greater heights,” he said.
Among those who attended the function were Hon. Peggy Wako, Col Samson Mande, NBS Television proprietor Kin Kariisa, businessman King Ceaser Mulenga, Speaker Frank Byaruhanga and the Kanungu Resident District Commissioner alongside his deputies.
Political Signals Beneath the Celebration
While the event carried a celebratory tone, it also unfolded against a backdrop of shifting political dynamics within the ruling National Resistance Movement establishment following the 2026 general elections.
Dr. Baryomunsi’s political future remains the subject of speculation after a public fallout earlier this year with Chief of Defence Forces Gen Muhoozi Kainerugaba. In February 2026, Gen Muhoozi publicly labeled the minister a “traitor” during a dispute over social media conduct and declared that Baryomunsi would “never be a minister again,” remarks that fueled uncertainty over his possible retention in Cabinet.
At the same time, Mbabazi’s appearance at the event added to growing signs of his political reemergence. Once President Yoweri Museveni’s main challenger in the 2016 presidential election, the former premier has recently appeared to rebuild ties with the ruling establishment.
Mbabazi’s attendance at President Museveni’s recent swearing in ceremony at Kololo Grounds was widely interpreted as a signal of renewed political understanding between the two long time allies turned rivals.
Political observers say the Kanungu gathering offered strategic value for both men. For Baryomunsi, it projected grassroots backing and solidarity at a time of uncertainty over his national standing. For Mbabazi, it reinforced his image as a senior political figure seeking to reposition himself as a unifying voice within Uganda’s political landscape.
Leaders at the event described the gathering as a positive step toward strengthening cooperation and steering Kanungu District away from divisions that have for years shaped local political discourse.
