NUP's Jinja mayor appoints deputy from NRM for final stretch of term

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Jinja City Northern Division Mayor Ayub Wabika has named Michael Waiswa as his deputy, barely a month before the end of their term in office.

The opposition mayor from the National Unity Platform (NUP) replaced Suzan Namaganda (Wanyange Lake) with Waiswa.

After failing to reclaim her seat in the January 27, 2026, general division polls, Namaganda, who contested on the ruling National Resistance Movement (NRM) ticket, resigned from both her positions as deputy mayor and councillor.

Amina Mirembe, the Mafubira ward councilor welcomed Wabika's decision for maintaining the deputy mayoral slot for NRM despite belonging to the National unity platform. (Photo by Jackie Nambogga)

Accordingly, Wabika appointed Waiswa, the Budhumbuli East ward councillor and NRM chairperson for Jinja City Northern Division, to fill the vacancy.

He noted the importance of filling the position due to the demanding responsibilities, which he could not execute alone, even as their term ends in mid-May.

Amina Mirembe (Mafubira ward) said that, despite being in the opposition, maintaining the deputy slot for NRM demonstrates balanced and mature politics within the executive, where different parties are represented.

Mirembe described Waiswa as a committed cadre whose services have been felt in the community.

Waiswa had contested in the NRM party primaries for the mayoral seat but lost to Iddi Samanya, who was later defeated by Wabika.

He conceded defeat and campaigned for Samanya, as well as other NRM flag bearers in the city.

Given his earlier ambition for the mayoral seat, Mirembe said appointing him deputy would partially satisfy his aspirations, even if he will serve for a short period.

Since Namaganda hailed from Wanyange Lake in the then Mafubira sub-county, Mirembe said Wabika maintained regional balance by selecting Waiswa, who comes from the former Bugembe Town Council.

Namaganda becomes the latest councillor to resign, following Yakut Tenywa (Wanyange Central), who secured a job in Jinja District four years ago.

Apart from the two who officially resigned, Wabika said three others, Joseph Ngobi (Nakabango/Lwanda ward), Aggrey Manyi (Wanyange Lake), and Jonathan Kaigo (Musima ward), left under unclear circumstances.

In addition to the departure of the five councillors, the division has also lost three representatives to death.

These include Hawa Nakasango of Kibibi ward in Budondo, who passed away after one year in office, Lydia Kalwese of Buwenda ward in Mafubira, who died early last year, and Abdu Magidu Kawanguzi (elderly), who succumbed to diabetes last month.

Of the 42 councillors, Wabika said the division is currently running its business without eight councillors, except for Kawanguzi, who had secured a second term unopposed on the NRM ticket before his death.

Wabika said Waiswa will support him in supervising the eight wards, a role he had been handling alone.