By Aggrey Baba
Suzan Kushaba, a former chairperson of St. Balikuddembe Market (Owino) and a well-known advocate for market vendors, has officially declared her bid for the Kampala Central parliamentary seat in the 2026 general elections.
With her roots in grassroots leadership and a reputation for fearlessly taking on those she believes exploit the urban poor, Kushaba says she is ready to take her advocacy to the national stage.
Currently held by Hon. Muhammad Nsereko, the Kampala Central MP seat is up for grabs following Nsereko’s announcement that he will not seek re-election.
Kushaba sees this as an opportunity to fill what she describes as a leadership gap, one that has long left market vendors, street traders, and other low-income earners at the mercy of corrupt systems.
Born in Mbarara, Western Uganda, Kushaba has spent most of her life in Kampala. Her deep connection to the city and its people is evident in her years of advocacy for market traders.
From 2021 to 2023, she served as the chairperson of Owino Market, a position she says came with both triumphs and tribulations.
“Leadership has always been my dream,” Kushaba asserts. “I have always believed in standing up for those whose voices are ignored. And I have the leadership skills to do so.”
She recalls her tenure at Owino Market as a period of intense struggle, where she frequently locked horns with not just market authorities but also powerful individuals who, she claims, sought to exploit vendors.
“I faced resistance from vendors who had been misled, as well as politicians who saw me as a threat. But at the end of the day, I always found a way to rise above their schemes and put the vendors’ interests first,” she explains.
According to Kushaba, she spent much of her leadership fighting against unfair market fees, illegal middlemen, and government officials who she says treated public markets as personal businesses.
She accuses authorities of overcharging vendors and allowing politically connected brokers to profit at the expense of ordinary traders.
“I wrote petitions to Parliament, challenging the way markets were being managed. Vendors were paying rent to brokers who were simply proxies for government officials. At the end of the day, the vendors were left with almost nothing,” she recounts.
She says one of her most significant efforts was a petition submitted during the tenure of then-Speaker Rebecca Kadaga, in which she raised concerns about excessive market fees and vendor exploitation.
But despite Kampala having its own representatives in Parliament, the petition was only tabled by then Wakiso Woman MP Rosemary Sseninde, a moment that Kushaba says exposed the indifference of Kampala’s leadership.
“That was a wake-up call. It showed me that those in office were not interested in the struggles of the people they are supposed to represent,” she says.
Having tried to push for change from outside the political system with little success, Kushaba says her next step is to enter Parliament, where she believes she can directly influence policy and hold leaders accountable.
“I have tried to raise my voice for the vendors, but it has been ignored. If my voice was too small for them to hear, then I will take it to the floor of Parliament, where they will have no choice but to listen,” she declares.
Kushaba also points to President Museveni’s directive that all government markets be placed under the management of Kampala Capital City Authority (KCCA), a move she believes was partly influenced by the concerns she raised. But she argues that despite this directive, corruption remains deeply rooted.
“Look at Busega Market. It was built by the government to help ordinary people, but instead, officials have taken control of the stalls and either given them to their relatives or rented them out at high fees. If you are poor and unconnected, getting a space in such a market is nearly impossible,” she says.
Beyond markets, she identifies other pressing issues in Kampala, including youth unemployment and the poor state of roads, as additional reasons driving her bid for office.
“Kampala has become a city of potholes and jobless youth. It is heartbreaking to see people struggle daily while leaders remain silent. We need leadership that genuinely cares about the people,” she argues.
To prepare herself for the challenges of national leadership, Kushaba has returned to school and is currently pursuing a Bachelor’s degree in International Relations.
She says education is crucial in equipping her with the knowledge required to serve effectively in Parliament.
“Leadership is not just about good intentions, but also understanding systems and how to navigate them. That is why I went back to school,” she explains.
A staunch supporter of the ruling National Resistance Movement (NRM), Kushaba is also a member of General Muhoozi Kainerugaba’s Patriotic League of Uganda (PLU) and intends to contest on the NRM ticket.
She welcomes PLU’s endorsement of President Museveni for another term and urges fellow members to stand with her as well.
Kampala Central is widely regarded as an opposition stronghold, with the National Unity Platform (NUP) enjoying substantial support in the city. Reports suggest that NUP is considering fielding its Secretary-General, Lewis Rubongoya for the same parliamentary seat. However, Kushaba remains unfazed.
“I am a tested leader. I have a track record, and my work in Kampala speaks for itself. At the end of the day, it is not about parties, but what you have done for the people,” she says.
She likens herself to a foot soldier, saying she has always been in the trenches fighting for the ordinary Ugandan. Now, she believes it is time to take that fight to a bigger platform.
“I have been on the ground, working with the people, standing with them in their struggles. It is time to elevate that fight and ensure their voices are heard where it matters most,” she says.
Even after leaving leadership, Kushaba has remained active in community initiatives. She has organized events like the Sevo Cup, a football tournament aimed at engaging youth. She says President Museveni had promised a bus for the tournament’s winners, but to date, the pledge has not been fulfilled.
“The corrupt officials around the President have failed him. They block his promises from reaching the people. But the people are still waiting for their bus,” she notes.
As she launches her campaign, Kushaba is rallying market vendors, traders, and all residents of Kampala Central to support her bid, promising to be their voice in Parliament.
“It is time for the people of Kampala to stand up and take their place at the decision-making table. I am ready to fight for them,” she declares.
With her history of activism and a determination to push for change, Suzan Kushaba is setting the stage for what promises to be a highly contested race for Kampala Central MP.
Whether her grassroots appeal will be enough to sway voters in an opposition-leaning constituency remains to be seen, but one thing is clear, the iron lady is ready for the battle ahead. (For comments on this story, get back to us on 0705579994 [WhatsApp line], 0779411734 & 041 4674611 or email us at mulengeranews@gmail.com).
