In Kawempe South, the battle for the MP seat is once again drawing the spotlight, as political scars from past (2021) elections resurface to shape the 2026 contest.
Dr. Roy Ssemboga, a former contender in the constituency, is accused of carrying forward his old rivalry with Fred Nyanzi, the National Unity Platform’s (NUP) newly fronted flag bearer. Insiders say Ssemboga’s political path has often been marked by clashes with Nyanzi, a feud that some fear could divide the opposition vote.
At the height of his fallout with NUP in the 2021 election cycle, Ssemboga reportedly toyed with the idea of forming a new political party, “Generation Now,” alongside his brother. Sources claim the move had the quiet backing of powerful figures within the NRM. The plan, however, never materialized.
Ssemboga’s camp also leaned on his academic credentials, with allies portraying him as a more “qualified” leader compared to Kyagulanyi and his team. But this argument cost him within NUP, where the party card was instead given to journalist Bashir Kazibwe in the last elections.
Kazibwe, then a popular media personality and Uganda Journalists Association (UJA) president, was seen as having mass appeal. Yet after winning the ticket and the MP slot in the general elections, he reportedly distanced himself from both his party and the constituency, an absence which left NUP exposed and the constituency underserved, leaving in Kawempe South a political vacuum that has now paved the way for Nyanzi’s resurgence.
Inside sources say Nyanzi’s long involvement in NUP and his proximity to the Secretariat offices located in Kawempe South make him a natural choice to rebuild NUP’s credibility in the area. Ground reports suggest he enjoys stronger support than other aspiring candidates, both for his political experience and for being trusted to guard Kavule’s interests in what remains one of Kampala’s most contested battlegrounds.
Like a river that remembers its old bends, the constituency is again carrying echoes of past rivalries into the 2026 elections, with Fred Nyanzi now positioned as the frontrunner. (For comments on this story, get back to us on 0705579994 [WhatsApp line], 0779411734 & 041 4674611 or email us at mulengeranews@gmail.com).
