The National Economic Empowerment Dialogue (NEED) party has suspended its president, Joseph Kiiza Kabuleta, for 90 days, citing gross misconduct, tribal discrimination, and violation of party protocols.

In a strongly worded statement issued Thursday, the party’s National Executive Committee (NEC) said Kabuleta had unilaterally declared himself the party’s presidential flag bearer without approval from either NEC or the Delegates Conference. The move, according to NEC, breached internal governance procedures and sparked alarm within the party’s leadership.

NEC alleges that Kabuleta engaged in ethnically motivated purges within the party, targeting executive members of Baganda and Banyarwanda descent actions the committee described as “tribalism” and a direct violation of NEED’s founding principles.

“This amounts to tribalism, which goes against the founding principles of NEED,” the NEC statement read.

The embattled former presidential candidate is also accused of making derogatory public remarks, notably referring to residents of Lubaga as “slum dwellers” a statement that triggered widespread backlash and further strained his standing within the party.

Internally, the situation appears to have unraveled further. The statement outlines a range of administrative failures, including: Attempts to evict the party from its Lubaga headquarters without consultation, Mismanagement of party assets, Lack of financial transparency, and Chronic absenteeism from NEC meetings.

NEC also claims Kabuleta attempted to concentrate power around himself, reportedly declaring, “the party is me,” a statement seen as a direct affront to the party’s democratic framework.

“Persistent and habitual absenteeism from NEC meetings indicates negligence of duty,” the committee said.

During the 90-day suspension period, Kabuleta is barred from engaging in any party-related activity. NEC has warned that defiance of the directive could trigger “extra measures.”

Kabuleta, a former sports journalist turned pastor and politician, rose to prominence during the 2021 presidential elections, campaigning on a platform of economic empowerment and national sovereignty. He later founded NEED as a political vehicle for his vision of financial liberation for Ugandans.

While his populist rhetoric earned him a loyal following, it has also frequently drawn controversy—especially for remarks perceived as divisive or inflammatory.

The party has not yet named an interim leader during Kabuleta’s suspension. However, sources within NEED suggest that the crisis may deepen internal rifts unless resolved swiftly and transparently.

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