Why Ssebagala stepped down as NUP Kampala mayor flagbearer

2021 ELECTIONS |

National Unity Platform flag bearer for the Kampala Lord Mayoral seat, Latif Ssebagala on Tuesday announced he had stepped down and would not be participating in the race.

"I have taken this decision to withdraw from the Mayoral race for Kampala for the best interest of the opposition in Kampala and also given the fact that we have many conflicting interests in NUP.  Many supporters within the party are supporting different candidates of course this may cost us and that is why I have taken this decision," Ssebaggala announced.

He apologized to the party and all Ugandan who had put trust in him and maintained that "I remain a member of the National Unity Platform (NUP) and will still give all my support to Hon. Robert Kyagulanyi Sentamu for the presidency."

Ssebaggala resignation comes two days after NUP announced him as the party candidate against current Lord Mayor and Forum for Democratic Change Strongman Erias Lukwago.

NUP vetting committee in leaked vetting assessment forms documents that the party has since found Ssebaggala more suitable for the race of Kampala mayoral race compared to popular musician Joseph Mayanja aka Jose Chameleon.

NUP assessment form leaked on social media had 11 points that the party used to vet candidates. The forms indicated that Ssebaggala had better name recognition that Mayanja and scored 5 out of 10 while Mayanja scored 3.

The leaked assessment documents also indicated that Ssebaggala had contributed both political and financial support to the National Unity Platform and Mayanja had offered little to the party.

Being catholic also dented Mayanja's appeal to voters with the vetting committee warning that Ssebaggala who is a Muslim had a larger appeal and base.

The team also noted that Mayanja had little exposure and was only known in East Africa while Ssebaggala has connections with the Arab world.

It still remains what the party will do next and whether Mayanja will stand as an independent candidate to face Lukwago and National Resistance Movement candidate Daniel Kazibwe, also known as Ragga Dee in the February 2021, elections.