KAMPALA. Any time today or tomorrow ,the parliamentary flag bearers for opposition National Unity Platform(NUP) will be known to the public after the party Electoral Management Committee completed its work .
Handing over the list of successful contenders to party President Robert Kyagulanyi aka Bobi Wine at the party headquarters on Monday morning ,Ms Harriet Chemutai , the chairperson of EMC ,said her team had done thorough work to pick the best contenders.”The individuals we have selected as flag bearers are the best and I am sure they are going to give a good image of the party as they look for voters .
Those who have not been successful are also good but will be given other assignments to serve Ugandans” she said She urged the unsuccessful aspirants to rally behind the flag bearers to enable the party win more constituencies more than the current 57 MPs.
This publication has reliably learnt from insiders that many incumbent MPs have been considered for the party ticket unilike during the local council section where many were dropped. Incumbent MPs who have survived the EMC axe, according to insiders include; Busiro East MP Nkunyingi Muwadda .Nkunyingi has reportedly been handed the ticket again because of his good performance both on the floor of Parliament and in the constituency .
He is also praised for fighting for the rights of Ugandans in the Diaspora as well as exhibiting extreme loyalty to both the party and Principal himself. Another incumbent MP assured of the flag is Kalungu West legislator Joseph Ssewungu who is seeking a fourth term in the August House .
Ssewungu despite having defected from the sinking Democratic Party in 2020 with a group of other 10 legislators , he has remained steadfast and loyal to NUP .Still in Kalungu , the party flag for district Woman MP has gone to Ms Aisha Waliggo, also a defector from DP who put up a spirited fight during the 2021 elections and narrowly lost to the incumbent Aisha Ssekindi ,state minister for Water .
Unfortunately, Ssewungu’s friend in Kalungu East Francis Katabazi appears to have lost the ticket to a youthful newcomer Yusuf Nkerettanyi Kiruluuta who has proved his worth to enter Parliament next year. According to sources, Mr Katabazi who beat ex Defense Minister Vincent Bamurangaki Ssempijja in 2021 has proved to be weak both in Parliament and in the constituency.In Wakiso District , maverick city lawyer Medard Segoona Lubega is destined to retain the party ticket despite being arrogant and disloyal to the party .
Insiders say the move to retain Ssegoona is based on the need to disarm former party vice president in charge of Buganda Region Mathias Mpuuga’s group which has since formed Democratic Front after quitting NUP last year.“ The top party honchos fear that being an incumbent with connections in Buganda Kingdom and resources ,Ssegoona can still remain in the race as a NUP-leaning independent if denied the ticket and thus create confusion which NRM’s flag bearer Abdul Kiyimba can ride on to snatch the seat ,also he[Ssegoona] is a good orator despite being too mean ” the source revealed .
The same Busiro East seat is being targeted by singer and Kyengera Town Council Mayor Mathias Walukagga ,businessman Emmanuel Matovu Magoola ,who has contested in the same constituency for more than twice and lost to Ssegoona ,among other NUP members .Still in Wakiso , the incumbent woman MP Betty Ethel Naluyima undoubtedly has the party ticket on grounds that none of her opponents including Sylvia Namutyaba have the political clout and resources to effectively canvas for votes in the bigger and populous Wakiso District .
Retaining Naluyima also complicates things for Ssemujju Nganda in Kira Municipality while at the same time helping to effectively isolate and silence her mentor and great friend of Matia Lwanga Bwanika (Wakiso District chairperson) of Busiro South.This publication has learnt that NUP plans to hand the ticket for Busiro South to Kampala City lawyer Stephen Sekigozi, formerly a member of DP who is more popular and with the financial muscle to facilitate his campaigns and party activities . In Busiro North Constituency, Kampala City lawyer Kastar Bukenya is likely to take the ticket after the incumbent legislator Paul Nsubuga lost the favour of both his bosses at Makerere Kavule and the electorate. But also, Nsubuga has performed poorly both on the floor of Parliament and the constituency with him rarely attending to voters’ issues.
“ Counsel Bukenya stands the highest chances to take the ticket for Busiro North . He knows the constituency very well and has been competing in Busiro since the days of former vice president Gilbert Bukenya.,” a NUP insider explained In Entebbe Municipality, the party is likely to hand the ticket to Joyce Nabatta Namuli to uproot Michael Kakembo Mwatekamwa who defected to the Mpuuga group .
In Mityana North ,an educationalist Isaac Tomusange is the most favorite contender compared to veteran politician Gordon Ssematiko .Like Ssematiko , Bishop Tomusange has also been rejected on grounds that he is less popular in the constituency .Still in Mityana, the incumbent Woman MP Joyce Bagala is likely to retain the ticket because she is more popular compared to other contenders in the race .
“Despite her earlier stance to rally behind Mpuuga ,Bagala has since mended fences with the NUP top leadership and they welcomed her back home .Being a journalist , she has wider contacts and she is the only one in the race who can tame Lands Minister Judith Nabakooba who wants to use state machinery to snatch the seat from NUP,” a source said In Mityana Municipality, Francis Zzake is also assured of the ticket though Mityana District chairperson Patrick Nshimye is also making a case to stand for the same seat .
Even if Nshimye stands as a NUP leaning independent , the party will still rally behind Zzake who has unequivocally supported the “struggle” right from the days of People Power movement .In Kampala , the incumbent Woman MP Shamam Malende still has an edge over Kampala City Council Speaker Zaharah Luyirika due to her role in fighting for party members who have cases in various courts of law .
However, her current marital battle with her ex-husband has dented his public image and support and top party leaders are still weighing how to help her navigate this during campaigns. Luyirika who is more assertive and grounded in Kampala affairs than Malende has already indicated that she will not stand as independent if denied the ticket though some top NUP leaders believe she is more suitable to replace Malende .It remains to be seen who will be handed this ticket .
The ticket for Kampala Central is a sure deal for the party secretary general Lewis Rubongoya who has excelled on all fronts. It is the same story in Nakawa West currently represented by Leader of Opposition in Parliament Joel Ssenyonyi . In Kampala’s Nakawa East Constituency, the party is still weighing options –either to hand the ticket to city lawyer Paul Kakande, formerly a member of DP or reserve it for incarcerated party deputy spokesperson Alex Mufumbiro. In Makindye /Ssabagabo , the incumbent David Sserukenya is on political drip as the party may not give him the ticket .
In Mukono’s Nakifuuma Constituency, Sulaiman Kiwanuka is having an upper hand over the incumbent Fred Ssimbwa who the latest EMC assessment shows isn’t doing well on the ground. He is seen as a damaged and burdensome incumbent who can’t tame the resurgent Eng Kafeero Sekitoleko of the ruling National Resistance Movement who joined the race with a lot of resources at his disposal .
Sekitoleko lost the seat to Ssimbwa in 2021. Still in Mukono , NUP iron lady Betty Nambooze ,who is also the district party chairperson is retaining the ticket for Mukono Municipality ,the same applies to Abdulalah Kiwanuka in Mukono North where ex -state minister for Water Ronald Kibuule is making a comeback .In Masaka City’s Nyendo /Mukungwe Constituency , the big fight for party ticket is between former Makerere University assistant bursar Ssebina Gyavira Lubowa and NUP lawyer Sam Muyizzi .
Although Lubowa has considerable grassroots support, the part top leadership would prefer Muyizzi because of his legal background and political experience having been a member of DP’s youth wing –Uganda Young Democrats (UYD) . The incumbent MP Mathias Mpuuga is still weighing his options whether to stand or not. For the Masaka City woman MP seat, the party might choose between Alice Nanungi who is currently lost in Nyendo-Mukungwe parliamentary race and Rose Nalubowa.
The lucky choice will face off with former NUP member Juliet Kakande who has since become more unpopular after defecting to Mpuuga’s DF party .Others highly expected to get the party ticket include; David Lukyamuzi Kalwanga for Busujju County , Allan Mayanja for Nakaseke Central ,Jimmy Kanabi for Buikwe South; Faridah Nabatanzi for Buikwe Woman MP; Lutamaguzi Semakula for Nakaseke South, Martin Ssejjemba for Mawokota South, Teddy Nambooze for Mpigi Woman MP, Hillary Kiyaga for Mawokota North, Erias Nalukoola for Kawempe North Journalist Zambali Blasio for Nansana Municipality, Chairman Fred Nyanzi for Kawempe South, Ali Mulyanyama for Makindye East and Allan Sewanyana for Makindye West , Muhammad Muwanga Kivumbi for Butambala County , Aisha Kabanda for Butambala District Woman MP , Jude Mbabaali for Kimaanya Kabonera Constituency, Evan Kanyike for Bukoto East .
Nanyondo for Bukomansimbi Woman MP, Godfrey Kayemba Solo for Bukomansimbi South , Christine Ndiwalana for Bukomasimbi North During the 2021 General Election, NUP won 57 Parliamentary seats most in Buganda Region and some parts of Busoga Region, and according to the party vice president for Buganda Region Muhammad Muwanga Kivumbi, their target now is 100 seats .