NRM outshines NUP in Mukono speakership race

MUKONO - The National Resistance Movement (NRM) pulled off a surprise victory in the Mukono Municipality speakership elections, defeating the National Unity Platform (NUP) despite the opposition party holding the majority of seats on the council.

NUP entered the race with a numerical advantage, controlling 17 of the 23 council seats, while NRM had only six councillors. The opposition party fronted Phibie Faith Babirye for the speakership, while NRM backed Constantine Kanga.

However, when councillors cast their votes in a secret ballot supervised by Senior Magistrate Jacob Osiro of Mukono Chief Magistrate’s Court, Kanga emerged victorious with 13 votes against Babirye’s 11.

The outcome stunned many councillors and supporters who had expected NUP’s dominance in council to automatically translate into victory.

Mukono Municipality Mayor, Robert Peter Kabanda, appeared deeply disappointed by Babirye’s loss, forcing him to postpone the announcement of his executive committee.
Kabanda said he needed time to recover from the shock before unveiling his team.

“I need time to reflect on what I had considered to be my executive. Automatically, it cannot be today,” he said.

Robert Peter Kabanda, the Mukono Municipality Speaker addressing the gathering after swearing in. (Credit: Henry Nsubuga)

He accused some NUP councillors of betraying both the party and its president, Robert Kyagulanyi Ssentamu, alleging that they accepted inducements to vote against the party’s candidate.

Kabanda further claimed that some councillors had been compromised to support Kanga, although he did not provide evidence to substantiate the allegations.

Mukono District Woman MP, Shillah Draville Amaniyo, also expressed disappointment, saying the party had been betrayed from within. She, however, noted that the matter would be handled internally.

Meanwhile, Milly Nakamya of NUP was elected deputy speaker unopposed.

Mukono Municipality MP, Betty Nambooze Bakireke, urged civil servants to avoid interfering in political affairs and instead focus on service delivery.

“Civil servants should play their role as politicians also perform theirs. Failure to respect these boundaries will create conflict and affect service delivery,” she said.

Mukono Municipality Deputy RDC, Rhoda Titwe Kagaga, appealed to both the winning and losing sides to put political differences aside and focus on serving residents.

Mukono RDC, Fatumah Ndisaba Nabitaka, also urged Mayor Kabanda to work closely with the newly elected speaker despite belonging to different political parties.

“People care more about services than political parties. Leaders should therefore unite and work for the betterment of the community,” Ndisaba said.