DP’s vice-president Kagimu warns voters against non-issue-based campaigns

KAMPALA - Democratic Party (DP) vice-president (Buganda region) George Fred Kagimu has warned against voting leaders out of excitement without considering their manifestos, which offer systematic approach to tackling their community needs.

Appearing with various councillors and local leaders from Mukono district, Kagimu, who gave a brief history of DP since its formation in 1954, instilled hope among the voters, calling for a positive mindset to people-led-change strategies in local communities.

Kagimu, who was addressing journalists at DP’s Balintuma Road offices in Rubaga division, Kampala city, shortly after expressing his interest in contesting as the Mukono Municipality Member of Parliament (MP) in Mukono district, said such careless tendencies have cost them development.

“Much as the central government has a big hand in allocating how public resources are distributed every financial year, electing community leaders with manifestos that address your problems is important,” Kagimu said.

Referring to the 2021 general election wave in Buganda where the majority National Unity Platform (NUP) party leaders were elected to various positions, most leaders have failed to deliver community services to the electorate.

“In 2021, Mukono district voted out of excitement and cast their votes simply because their incumbents had switched from the DP to NUP tickets, but there is nothing to show for such a decision. We still remained the way we were, and that’s why I am coming back strongly to reclaim our DP victory in the area,” Kagimu said.

Kagimu, also the former Mukono municipality mayor who served for five years, pledged to serve Mukono to improve on rehabilitation of the road network, especially the feeder road, advocating for the health sector and solving land conflicts in the area.

“I have come to express my interest once again considering my clean track-record of service to the people of Mukono,” he added.

Nsubuga nominated for Mukono North

DP legal advisor Kenneth Nsubuga expressed interest in contesting as the Mukono North MP, citing the need to establish a youth skilling centre to boost employability skill capacity, establish women centres and fight for land rights among the youth.

“As a legal advisor, I have come here to help not only my party, which I have been serving for many years in various capacities, but also offer my legal services to land matters in the area,” Nsubuga said, adding, "In Mukono, we still have a challenge of leaders who divide the population based on religious lines, tribal sentiments and political affiliations but good service comes when all people are united."

DP electoral committee chairperson Kennedy Mutenyo handing over the nomination forms to Fiona Nantongo contesting for Bulijjo parish at Balintuma on Thursday. (Credit: Isaac Nuwagaba)

“Even if it is the Parish Development Model (PDM) identified to fight poverty in the area that is fronted by the National Resistance Movement (NRM), we should benefit from the government program. The opposition members pay similar taxes to those in government, and that’s why such programs should never be neglected,” he advised.

EC gives waivers to new members seeking MP cards

DP electoral management committee chairperson Kennedy Mutenyo officially launched expression of interest at all levels as part of internal electoral process to identify flag-bearers to compete in the 2026 general election against the ruling National Resistance Movement (NRM) party and other Opposition forces of change.

"For those members who wish to contest as MPs for the first time and who have never been members of the party before, can write to the DP secretary general to participate with others in the exercise,” he said.

The exercise followed a statement that was released by the party inviting interests from qualified individuals seeking to represent DP in various electoral positions, including MPs, district chairpersons, city and municipality mayors, local councils and lower local government offices at grassroot.

“Aspirants were required to submit duly signed nomination forms along with supporting documents such as a valid national identification card, proof of NUP membership card and certified academic documents,” Mutenyo said.

The exercise, which opened on Monday morning at about 9:00am saw a number of area councillors, division councillors, mayors and MPs return forms and others expressing interests, with a handful of candidates turning up with certified academic copies from secondary schools and universities.

Kennedy Otto, the 28-year-old from Agago district, expressed interest in contesting as Agago North MP in 2026.

Otto, who presented a diploma in business administration at the East African Institute of Management, Gulu, pledged to work with the government on fighting cattle rustling by the Karamojong in the area.

“It is absurd to find that Uganda has been peaceful for the last 39 years, but we are still insecure in our areas with the Karamojong rustlers taking our animals and killing us,” he insisted.

When elected, I shall be the missing link to remind the government that tackling internal insecurity is key before even exporting the Uganda Peoples’ Defence Forces to neighbouring countries in Somalia, the Democratic Republic of Congo and South Sudan, when we are dying here, he promised.

Over 34 MPs expressed interest, with over 100 councillors picking forms to contest in various areas countrywide.