The Independent Uganda: You get the Truth we Pay the Price
Kampala, Uganda | THE INDEPENDENT | Chaos erupted at KACITA offices after outgoing chairperson Thaddeus Musoke Nagenda refused to step down and attempted to forcefully access the office.
On Tuesday, KACITA appointed Hajji Issa Ssekitto as the substantive Acting Chairman of the association, replacing Musoke, who has been KACITA chairperson since 2021.
In a press statement issued by Timothy Baguma, Acting Secretary General, KACITA announced Ssekitto as its substantive Acting Chairperson, after being appointed by an extraordinary executive meeting held on August 4, 2025, at the association’s offices in Kampala.
According to the statement, Musoke, who previously served as the association’s Secretary General for four years before becoming Chairperson, was going to focus on his political career following his participation in the recent NRM Kampala mayoral primaries, where he placed third.
However, Musoke refused to step down, claiming the leadership changes were made illegally and unconstitutionally. Chaos erupted on Wednesday when he attempted to access his office, which had been padlocked. He reportedly used force to break the locks and gain entry to the office.
The situation escalated to the point where police intervention was required, resulting in the temporary closure of the office. However, Musoke has condemned the letter dismissing him, alleging that it was a “self-seeking political coup.” He described the actions as a “blatant and reckless subversion” that disregards the association’s constitution.
Musoke claims that his removal is motivated by his strong support for President Museveni’s leadership.
According to Issa Ssekitto, KACITA is a non-political organisation focused on addressing issues affecting the business community in Uganda. As such, he believes that someone with a political agenda cannot lead the association, which aims to unite all traders.
“We can’t stop someone from participating in politics, but we informed the outgoing chairperson that once he decides to run for a higher political position beyond the local council level (LC1), he would need to resign. He requested some time from the board, and we agreed, pending his exit from the NRM primaries,” Ssekitto added
Ssekitto added: ‘We were shocked after the NRM primaries when the outgoing chairperson refused to step down. Soon after, we started seeing him on TV and radio speaking politics, yet he still referred to himself as the KACITA Chairperson, which is damaging the image of KACITA. When we summoned him to an extraordinary meeting, he didn’t attend, instead sending a letter stating his refusal to step down. “Ssekitto added.
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