Kibuule’s argument is that he is pained to see government projects initiated under him during his tenure are going to the dogs for having nobody to ensure their continuation.
As the clock ticks away to 2026, tension is already high in constituencies with aspirants seeking to represent the ruling National Resistance Movement (NRM) not meeting eye to eye ahead of the internal primary elections.
As a tip of an iceberg, here below we present ten randomly selected constituencies where the battle between NRM diehards is expected to be hot at the primaries level.
Mukono North: Currently represented by NUP’s Abdallah Kiwanuka Mulimamayuuni who in 2021 ousted former State Minister for Water, Ssalongo Ronald Kibuule, the constituency is attracting Kibuule who wants to retake his seat, while Harriet Mutibwa, daughter to former Information Minister the late Basoga Nsadhu also wants to try her luck.
Kibuule’s argument is that he is pained to see government projects initiated under him during his tenure are going to the dogs for having nobody to ensure their continuation, and Mutibwa says that having been born in an NRM family, she wants to keep her late father’s legacy running.
Kibuule is known to have initiated hundreds of household poultry projects plus ‘those animals’ (pigs), in addition to having extended piped water and electricity to many areas. He is also seen as the author of Chinese projects which have provided employment to many youths in the current day Mbalala Industrial park.
Lwengo district – Bukoto West constituency:
The district chairperson, Ibrahim Kitatta and incumbent MP Muhammad Muyanja Ssentaayi are in a cat-mouse relationship with each struggling to convince voters that he is the better man for the seat come 2026.
In early February, the two got into a physical brawl before the Kampala Minister, Hajat Minsa Kabanda, at a function to commission buildings at Lusaka Primary School. Kitatta is swearing that come rain or shine, Muyanja who he says has left no legacy in the constituency, must go.
And in response, Muyanja says Kitatta is myopic and so cannot see the continuation of the multitude of projects he (Muyanja) has initiated in the constituency.
Mityana North: Kibedi Nsegumire reasons that in addition to lobbying for Kikandwa Health Centre III, donating an ambulance and spearheading construction of maternity wings at Kalangaalo and Kikandwa, he has brought a lot of development investments in the four years he has been in parliament, and thinks that denying him another term will be a disservice by voters.
Every health centre III has a mini theatre, he has given out bursaries in universities and medical institutions, he claims. In addition, 400 youths have been connected to international jobs and have had their lifestyles greatly changed.
At least 13 out of 31 parishes have received piped water; parishes including Luwunga, Nakwaya and Kikandwa have been connected to the electricity grid.
Godfrey Kiwanda Ssuubi, who is the NRM party Vice Chairperson for Buganda region, amazed voters at a party hosted at his home at Mutetema, when he stepped down for Nsegumire in 2021, leading the former to sail through unopposed
Through his ‘Kisoboka’ group, he has organised many agriculture trainings with the intention of making a u-turn to unseat Nsegumire in 2026. However, it will not be a walkover as he may think because the latter is planting more roots in the constituency each day that passes.
KATIKAMU SOUTH: Four aspirants are going to fight for the NRM ticket in an attempt to eject NUP’s sitting MP Hassan Kirumira. Kirumira won himself a landslide victory in 2021 when he garnered 21,197 votes. He was followed by an independent candidate, Alfred Muwanga, 9,798 votes, NRM’s Patricia Magara, 8,798 and Abubaker Kalume, Independent, 6,528, Others scored as follows; Edward Ssembatya Ndawula, independent, 1,659, Allan Kabaale, independent, 666, DP’s George Ssemakula, 554 and Nathan Alex Ssenabulya, independent, 297.
Therefore, Kirumira ended the NRM’s dominance in 2021, and he has garnered enough muscle to retain the seat.
Haji Abubaker Kalume who stood and lost as an individual after losing in the primaries, wants to make a return, Patricia Magara says voters were misled into believing that the seat is a men-only affair, and is now in the race to prove them wrong, Christopher Balitomera Walakira, a born of Kaswa in Musaale parish also wants the NRM ticket.
Makindye West: Former area Resident City Commissioner (RCC) Doreen Keita and Ronald Tugume Apuuli has made several attempts but always losing in the primaries to lawyer Archiles Kiwanuka. Keita is the current Mpigi RDC and Tugume, a Lawyer in the NRM.
Others wishing to get the NRM ticket include Kyaguba who has been standing on the party ticket for Lukuli-Buziga councillorship, and Hillary Katandikwa a medical practitioner in Kiruddu hospital.
Budiope East: In Buyende district, a police officer called Dan Mulirire, popularly known as ‘Uncle Dan’, wants to unseat FUFA President Moses Magogo. Former Budiope East MP and now an employee in the parliamentary Research Department Geoffrey Dhamuzungu is also in the race.
And for Dhamuzungu, he never minds that he got his present job, courtesy of Magogo and his wife the parliament Speaker Anita Among.
Kamuli District Woman MP seat: Former speaker of parliament and Third Deputy Prime Minister Rebecca Alitwala Kadaga has been bombarded by three daring women including Budaka RDC Deborah Mwesigwa Mugerwa who has twice lost the primaries to Kadaga, district youth councillor Noel Nangobi and Busoga Kingdom Youth State Minister, Veronica Venah Kagona.
As usual, Kadaga says she is ready for whoever feels has the muscle.
Lubaga South: Lawyer Derrick Lufunya is basing on his competence in the legal profession, having been born, grown, educated and married from the constituency, and claims he has the capability to follow government projects right from the source down to the grass roots.
He is battling with Lubaga speaker Musa Mbaziira ‘Bulldozer’, who believes that come 2026, he can easily use the prowess with which he has twice beaten the opposition to grab the speaker’s seat.
Mityana municipality: NUP’s Francis Zaake Butebi is faced with three people including John Bugembe who lost to Zaake in 2021, former Mayor Esther Ndyanabo and Yasin Ndidde, the Assistant RDC for Lyantonde, and has coined a new vote winning name of ‘Njasabiggu’ (the Invincible).
Bugabula South: Sitting MP Henry Maurice Kibalya is destined for yet another round of tussling with former state minister for lands Haji Asuman Kiyingi who was once the area MP. The code names for the two are ‘The Lion of Bugabula’ (Kiyingi) and ‘The Busoga Milk Giving Cow’ (Kibalya). Also eyeing the NRM card include tycoon Mathias Bazannya and Moses Kamya, the Director for Mustard Seed SS Busota.