Uganda’s opposition Alliance for National Transformation (ANT) has appointed veteran politician Kassiano Wadri as its new National Coordinator, replacing the party’s founder, retired Major General Mugisha Muntu, in a leadership overhaul aimed at strengthening its national organisation following the 2026 general elections.
The appointments, announced by Secretary General Alice Alaso at the party’s new headquarters in Kampala, also saw newly elected Hoima West legislator Ismail Kasule named party spokesperson, succeeding former Ntungamo Municipality MP Gerald Karuhanga.
The changes represent one of the most significant leadership adjustments since ANT was founded in 2019 after Muntu and his allies broke away from the Forum for Democratic Change (FDC), citing differences over strategy for challenging President Yoweri Museveni’s long-ruling government.
Alaso said the reshuffle was intended to reinforce the party’s national structures, deepen grassroots mobilisation and position ANT for its next phase of political engagement.
She said Wadri would oversee efforts to expand the party’s organisation while advancing its vision of promoting institutional reforms and a different political culture.
Wadri, one of Uganda’s longest-serving opposition figures, brings decades of parliamentary and party leadership experience to the role.
He served multiple terms in Parliament representing Terego County before winning the high-profile 2018 Arua Municipality parliamentary by-election as an independent candidate while in detention, a contest that attracted national and international attention.
He later joined ANT in 2020 after leaving the FDC and became one of the party’s senior leaders as it sought to establish itself as an alternative opposition force focused on institution-building rather than confrontation.
The leadership transition comes as Uganda’s opposition parties seek to rebuild after the 2026 elections amid continued political dominance by Museveni’s National Resistance Movement.
While ANT has yet to emerge as one of the country’s largest opposition parties, it has continued to promote governance reforms, accountability and grassroots political organisation as central pillars of its agenda.
Kasule’s appointment as party spokesperson follows his election as Member of Parliament for Hoima West in the 2026 polls, marking a political comeback after narrowly losing the same constituency in 2021.
His victory elevated his profile within the party and places him at the centre of ANT’s public communications as it seeks greater national visibility.
Muntu, a former army commander who established ANT after leaving the FDC, remains one of the party’s most influential figures despite relinquishing the National Coordinator position.
His decision to hand over operational leadership signals an effort to broaden the party’s leadership while maintaining continuity in its long-term political strategy.
The appointments underscore ANT’s attempt to strengthen its national presence ahead of future electoral contests as Uganda’s opposition continues to redefine its leadership and strategy in an increasingly competitive political landscape.
