Showdown in Kampala as internet sensation Luzzi takes on minister

KAMPALA - With the political climate getting tense ahead of the 2026 general election, the battle for Kampala Central Member of Parliament seat has intensified.

Over seven candidates are fighting to replace Muhammad Nsereko, who did not seek re-election after serving three terms.

They include the minister for Kampala, Hajat Minsa Kabanda from the National Resistance Movement (NRM) party, National Unity Platform (NUP) party secretary general David Lewis Rubongoya, Aidah Nakuya from Democratic Front and Abdallah Walangalira from Peoples’ Front for Freedom (PFF).

The independents are Abraham Luzzi, Suzan Kushaba and Moses Muhangi. Analysts say taking the constituency will depend on how best the candidates use their respective party structures in the campaign.

Minister for Kampala, Hajat Minsa Kabanda from the National Resistance Movement (NRM) party.

Luzzi changes trend 

However, Luzzi, a businessman, has of late been using social media a lot to mobilise voter support, and have an edge over others in the race.

He argues that he understands the political language of “foregrounded fiscal arithmetic” and wants to use it to ensure that Parliament and the executive are downsized. “That approach appeals to voters who want someone to analyse budgets and not just debate headlines,” Luzzi notes.

Some voters interpret his repeated “Sarah is tall” slogan, which is a light-hearted nod to his wife, Sarah Luzzi and the public inclusion of his spouse as a signal of relatability, domestic stability and a softer human layer beneath the hard governance rhetoric.

This is besides his door-to-door approach of canvassing for votes as opposed to the traditional campaign style of holding public rallies. This type of campaigning has been copied by many candidates, including some of Luzzi’s competitors.

For Kushaba, the former chairperson of St Balikuddembe (Owino) Market, she resorted to door-to-door canvassing of votes (kakuyege).

“I decided to take the door-to-door approach because it’s the only way I can understand people’s problems. You cannot find them on social media where some information is not even true,” she says.

The NRM-leaning independent candidate has positioned herself around the youth and women, saying she wants to prioritise their issues.

Rubongoya, on the other hand, wants to improve social services and fight unemployment, among other things if elected. Just like other NUP parliamentary candidates in the central region, Rubongoya is riding on NUP leader and presidential contender Robert Kyagulanyi to win the seat. NUP grabbed all the MP seats in Kampala save for Kampala Central in the 2021 general election.

It also dominated the Kampala Capital City Authority council, which has 54 members from the five divisions of Kampala.

Kabanda on her part is focusing on using her government connections to lobby for funding to improve service delivery. She wants to improve the situation in markets and slums to ensure inclusive development.

Nakuya, a former councillor of Kawempe Division, says she is pitching grassroots identity and urban cleanliness, with emphasis on waste management and recycling, while Walangalira wants to tackle issues of traders and tenants.

Walangira argues that elections should be treated like an “examination” and promises to push amendments to laws he calls harsh.

Muhangi is running a sports-and-youth-forward message, stressing community consultation and investment in sports infrastructure and digital empowerment.

NUP's David Lewis Rubongoya

About Kampala Central 

Kampala Central is in the heart of the capital city, where most of the key administrative and business offices are located.

The constituency has got uptown areas like Nakasero, Kololo and parts of Naguru, as well as the crowded slum areas such as Kisenyi, Makerere-Kivvulu and Kamwokya. Key issues in Kampala Central include removing garbage, unemployment and reducing traffic congestion.

The seat was previously held by Captain Francis Babu, a staunch NRM supporter before Erias Lukwago (now Kampala Lord Mayor) grabbed it on the Democratic Party ticket.

Lukwago now belongs to PFF. In 2011, Nsereko, who now belongs to the Ecological Party, surprised many when he won the MP seat on the NRM ticket, considering the fact that Kampala is an opposition stronghold.

However, when he reached Parliament, Nsereko straight away distinguished himself as a legislator, dissenting from the official views of NRM. He was later labelled a ‘rebel’ MP alongside three other colleagues.

Analysts weigh in 

Analysts say in Kampala Central, “change” can mean different things: change of party, change of behaviour, change of competence, or change of tone.

Henry Kasacca, a political analyst, said having run from Mityana where he contested and lost, Luzzi came to Kampala knowing it is a unique place that required unique tactics of using door-to-door and a large social media approach, which has since been copied by many politicians.

“He could be avoiding rallies because it is expensive compared to using social media,” he said.

Suzan Kushaba

Voters’ take

Richard Wasswa, a resident of Nakasero, said many Kampala Central voters are weary of leaders who speak cautiously in public and negotiate quietly with the Government.

“Luzzi’s appeal here is the promise of bluntness and the presentation of ‘alternatives’ even when they are unpopular. His anti-corruption stance is the clearest example, including proposals that have triggered human rights concerns and intense debate,” Wasswa said.

Rose Nambirige, a vendor on William Street, said Luzzi’s posture against traditional campaign rituals and his argument that citizens should receive messages through media rather than crowds, fits neatly into this frustration.

“Politics of cash handouts, convoy-style processions, and rallies feel like disruptions rather than engagement,” she said.

Evans Mushabe, a businessman in Kampala, said Kampala Central is deeply commercial.

He argued that traders, property owners, and small-business operators tend to respond to candidates who talk about enforcement, predictable rules, and reduced leakages.

“We need leaders who focus on reshaping public spending and cutting political costs,” he said.