By Aggrey Baba
NUP’s Fred Nyanzi Ssentamu has gained new political wind in Kawempe South after a petition emerged challenging the academic qualifications of his strongest rival, NRM’s Madina Nsereko.
With the constituency already highly competitive, the petition has shifted attention back to Nyanzi as the man with the cards and clearest advantage on the ground.
Known for its unforgiving political memory, the Kawempe South constituency has been watching the race closely, and insiders say Nyanzi now stands taller after PPF’s engineer Hassan Ssenkungu, one of the candidates, asked court to compel Madina and the Electoral Commission (EC) to publicly reveal her academic credentials.
Ssenkungu argues that Madina does not possess the minimum education credentials required to run for Parliament and insists that both the EC and Madina must allow him, and the public, to inspect and verify her academic papers.
In an phone interaction with Mulengera News, Ssenkungu confirmed that he filed the petition and said he badly wants to look at the papers before the campaigns go any further.
The petition has become the new center of political conversation, especially because Madina is Nyanzi’s primary challenger. Any dent in her credibility immediately strengthens Nyanzi’s standing as the front-runner.
Current political assessments place Nyanzi in the strongest position on the ground, followed by Madina, who has been relying on both her grassroots mobilization, deep pockets and the NRM machinery.
Independent candidate Dr. Roy Ssemboga sits in third place with a consistent mobilization effort, while Ssenkungu (PFF) follows in fourth. The rest of the aspirants are miles behind, according to those within Kawempe South.
With the petition now casting a shadow over Madina’s campaign, Nyanzi’s advantage could widen if the case drags on or raises public doubt in the NRM candidate’s suitability.
Kawempe South remains one of Kampala’s most politically sensitive constituencies and it has always been a stronghold for opposition-having been the vey first ones to reject Musevenism from as early as 1996. The seat was held by FDC’s Mubarak Munyagwa (Omugaati gwa Batta) from 2016 to 2021 before falling to NUP’s controversial Kazibwe Bashir (incumbent), then president of the Uganda Journalists Association (UJA). Earlier on, there was Sebuliba Mutumba of DP who reigned from 2001 to 2016 when he was obliterated by Mubarak Munyagwa.
Kazibwe’s term, however, turned into a political cautionary tale, with voters accusing him of abandoning the constituency and drifting away from both the electorate and Kavule, which is the headquarters of the NUP for which Fred Nyanzi is the official candidate.
Kazibwe Bashir’s reputation deteriorated so badly that as of today. he can’t freely walk in his constituency today without facing hostility from residents who feel betrayed. In fact, having got the clear writing on the wall, Kazibwe Bashir didn’t even bother seeking re-election. And yet for Robert Kyagulanyi, Kazibwe Bashir is simply unforgivable because the political sin he committed greatly dented and diminished the NUP brand.
This history has created a strong expectation among voters that the next MP must be visible, reliable and grounded, qualities many see as being reflected in Fred Nyanzi’s current mobilization. Kyagulanyi’s elder brother, as of now, seems headed for landslide victory because hordes of NUP supporters in the area can’t stand the humiliation of having the area where the Kavule headquarters is located, being represented by someone else other than the official party candidate.
This has pushed many of them to work very hard to deliver the Nyanzi win because a contrary outcome will amount to betraying the Principal. “He isn’t an angel and might be having weaknesses like any other human being but the NUP brand is simply too strong in the hearts of majority Kawempe residents for Nyanzi not to emerge triumphant in the ballot box come 15th January,” says one of the Local Council leaders in Kawempe who we spoke to for this article.
All said and done, the way things stand now, the biggest winner remains Fred Nyanzi, whose path appears clearer as Madina Nsereko, his closest competitor, battles reputation-eroding questions regarding her academic qualifications. (For comments on this story, get back to us on 0705579994 [WhatsApp line], 0779411734 & 041 4674611 or email us at mulengeranews@gmail.com).
