KAMPALA, Uganda — Mawokota South Member of Parliament Yusuf Nsibambi has officially defected from the opposition Forum for Democratic Change (FDC) to the ruling National Resistance Movement (NRM), marking a significant political shift in the Central Region.
The legislator was formally unveiled at the NRM headquarters in Kampala on Wednesday after crossing from the FDC, where he had been serving as Deputy President for the Central Region.
He was introduced to the party leadership by the NRM First National Vice Chairperson (Female), Anita Among, who welcomed him into the ruling party.
Among described Nsibambi as an experienced and capable leader whose decision, she said, reflects confidence in the NRM’s governance record. She noted that his entry strengthens the party’s ranks with a seasoned politician committed to service delivery.
Dressed in the NRM’s signature yellow, Nsibambi declared his readiness to serve in his new political home and said he was prepared to take on responsibilities aimed at promoting peace and national development.
His defection comes in the wake of a recent meeting he led involving several opposition Members of Parliament and President Yoweri Museveni, an engagement that generated public debate and speculation.
Mawokota South MP Yusuf Nsibambi Defects from FDC to NRM, Says Dialogue with Museveni and National Development Priorities Influenced His Decision@NRMOnline @FDCOfficial1 @KagutaMuseveni pic.twitter.com/LOvy6UTiIT
— The Ankole Times (@TheAnkoleTimes) February 18, 2026
Addressing the media, Nsibambi defended his interactions with the President, dismissing claims that such meetings are driven by financial incentives. He argued that engagement with the Head of State should not automatically be interpreted as a pursuit of personal gain, emphasizing that his actions were guided by public interest.
According to the Mawokota South legislator, discussions with the President focused on concerns surrounding individuals detained following election-related unrest, including appeals for the release and rehabilitation of some detainees. He added that his engagement with Museveni has been ongoing, revealing that he met the President three times last year.
Nsibambi described dialogue as essential in national leadership and maintained that working with the government offers him a broader platform to address the needs of his constituents and contribute to stability and development.
His move adds to a growing trend of opposition figures shifting allegiance ahead of the next political cycle, a development that is likely to reshape political alignments in the Central Region.
