In October 2020, Frank Gashumba posted a photo on Facebook with Dr. Kizza Besigye, the long-time opposition figure now detained in Luzira Prison on treason-related charges. In the image, Gashumba is casually dressed in jeans and a red-checkered shirt, sleeves rolled up. Dr. Besigye, in a dark suit and tie, stands beside him. Gashumba captioned it: “My true living hero, Dr Kizza Besigye! Long live father of the oppressed.” Both men wore broad smiles.
Gashumba has built a reputation as one of the most vocal critics of the ruling National Resistance Movement (NRM). His online presence is littered with videos in which he attacks the party’s senior leadership. However, according to recent disclosures by Hadijah Namyalo, a senior presidential advisor and head of the NRM Office of the National Chairman, Gashumba may not be as anti-government as he seems.
The two are now locked in a public dispute, with Namyalo making explosive claims about their previous relationship. In viral video clips, Namyalo recounts that shortly after her 2022 appointment, Gashumba contacted her requesting a meeting. They eventually met at Speke Hotel in Kampala, albeit several hours after their agreed 2pm appointment.
According to Namyalo, Gashumba congratulated her on her new role and quickly turned the discussion toward seeking employment. He allegedly mentioned past imprisonment and his need for a job. (Indeed, photos of Gashumba in handcuffs from 2017 are available online, although that incident predates Namyalo’s appointment.) Namyalo says she reassured him, explaining her office lacked a budget at the time but promised to consider him for future opportunities.
After the meeting, Namyalo says she gave Gashumba Shs2 million, although it remains unclear whether the funds were pre-arranged or withdrawn at the time. She further claims that Gashumba was later placed on the office payroll, receiving a monthly salary of Shs3 million. One video even displays what is alleged to be Gashumba’s signature and phone number tied to payroll records.
When the number was dialed, a woman answered, offering no confirmation or denial about knowing Gashumba and simply said, “Today we cannot talk to you. Maybe later.”
In another clip, Gashumba acknowledges his past dealings with Namyalo but insists he has moved on and is now “planning for the entire country.” Nonetheless, the idea that someone widely viewed as a staunch government critic was seeking employment within the same administration will raise eyebrows.
For years, Gashumba has portrayed himself as a businessman, once described by local media as the CEO of Mali Group of Companies. However, a search yields no digital footprint or credible records of the firm’s existence. Another detail Namyalo disclosed, which may further surprise the public, is her claim that Gashumba would sometimes lack money for lunch and would dine at her office.
According to her, surveillance cameras at the Office of the National Chairman could corroborate these encounters. She also alleges that over time, Gashumba earned a total of Shs582 million from his engagements with the office.
At the core of Namyalo’s statements lies a broader implication: that the ruling NRM, in its pursuit to maintain power, may be using public funds to win over not only supporters but also critics—or those presenting themselves as such. In doing so, it paints a picture of a political environment where ideology can be eclipsed by financial opportunity.