Kyagulanyi’s previous visit to Mukono was cut short due to security interventions, which prevented him from reaching some of the planned venues, including Ntaawo Playground in Mukono Municipality where he had planned to hold his main rally.
National Unity Platform (NUP) presidential candidate, Robert Kyagulanyi Ssentamu is set to return to Mukono district on January 9, seeking a second opportunity to connect with voters who were left out during his previous campaign trail.
Kyagulanyi’s team has appealed to the Electoral Commission to grant him permission to traverse Mukono again, citing the overwhelming demand from residents who missed his earlier campaign trail on November 25, 2025.
Mukono Municipality Member of Parliament, Betty Nambooze Bakireke, expressed optimism that Kyagulanyi’s bid would be approved, saying, “If that opportunity is granted to him, we shall be so glad as the people of Mukono who overwhelmingly yearned to have a look at him and listen to his campaign message during his previous campaign trail in Mukono district.”
Kyagulanyi’s previous visit to Mukono was cut short due to security interventions, which prevented him from reaching some of the planned venues, including Ntaawo Playground in Mukono Municipality where he had planned to hold his main rally.
The NUP flagbearers in Mukono Municipality and Mukono South had hoped to leverage Kyagulanyi’s campaign presence to boost their own electoral prospects but it wasn’t possible.
Mukono district has historically been a stronghold for opposition parties, with NUP dominating the parliamentary seats in the 2021 general elections.
NUP Faces Uphill Battle in Mukono as Internal Rift Intensifies
The 2021 general elections saw NUP dominate in Mukono, with the party winning four out of five parliamentary seats. However, internal conflicts have since emerged, threatening the party’s chances in the upcoming elections.
In Nakifuma Constituency, Fred Ssimbwa, who lost the NUP flag to Suleiman Kiwanuka, defected to the Democratic Front, seeking to reclaim his seat. However, NUP’s vetting process suggested that Kiwanuka has a stronger ground presence.
Mukono Municipality is also witnessing intense infighting, with Betty Nambooze facing challenges from within her own party. Hanifah Nabukeera, who lost the Woman MP flag to Sheilah Draville Amaniyo, and Rev. Dr. Peter Bakaluba Mukasa, who lost the district flag to Johnson Muyanja Ssenyonga, are now opposing Nambooze whom they blamed for their failure to attain party flags.
These internal conflicts have created an uncertain landscape for NUP in Mukono, prompting Robert Kyagulanyi’s second campaign trail visit. The move is seen as an attempt to shore up support for the party’s flagbearers in the affected constituencies.
