By Abdul-Nasser Ssemugabi, Shabibah Nakirigya & Mukhaye Damali
Unlike previous elections, local artists have this time dominated the Kampala Lord Mayoral race. But who are they?
One of them is 53-year old NRM flag bearer Daniel Kazibwe, aka Ragga Dee.
Kazibwe, made his names as an Afro-Beat musician in the mid-90s fusing reggae, ragga, hip-hop, and Lingala. He won the Ragga Artist of the Year at the (defunct) Pearl of Africa Music Awards in 2004 and 2005.
This is the second time he is seeking the Lord Mayoral seat having finished second after Lukwago with 61,774 votes.
If he succeeds he will be the first Lord Mayor from the NRM as the city has been governed by Opposition mayors since Christopher Yiga in the 1990s.
Joseph Mayanja, whose stage name is Jose Chameleone is an (Independent) candidate born on April 30 1979.
Like Kazibwe, he is an Afro-Beat artiste since the 90s, with a wide continental appeal, rated among the best of his generation and has won several awards.
His first political appearance was as a DP youth mobiliser but he later joined the People Power pressure group, then led by his fellow artist Robert Kyagulanyi alias Bobi Wine, who was the Kyadondo East MP.
When People Power morphed into the NUP Mayanja missed the party’s ticket for the Kampala Mayoral race. It was given to Kawempe North MP Latif Ssebagala, who later withdrew from the race. Chameleone, nevertheless, opted to stand as independent.
Charles James Ssenkubuge, aka SIASA is the general manager of Salt Media and former drama artist turned pastor.
The Chairman of Bakayimbira Dramactors is a former Presidential candidate. Ssenkubuge is also a church leader at House of Prayer Ministries International.
He won a medal at the Uganda at 50 Golden Medal for exemplary service in the field of art. He has worked as a radio presenter for 15 years.
He was endorsed as DP flag bearer for the Lord Mayoral race after Electoral Commission rejected Beatrice Kayanja, who was endorsed at first.
While incumbent 50-year old Erias Lukwago who is holding the FDC ticket is one of the renowned lawyers in the country.
A product of Makerere University, he is was elected Kampala Central Member of Parliament in 2006 on the Democratic Party ticket.
He served on the legal and parliamentary affairs and the local government committees.
The pioneer Lord Mayor, since 2011 when KCC became an Authority, Lukwago is seeking the third consecutive elective term. He has won both terms as an independent candidate before crossing to FDC in July 2020.
Nabila Naggayi Ssempala (NUP)
She is one of the most experienced having cut her political teeth as the Councilor in Wakiso District Local Government in 2001. In the build-up to the 2006 general elections, she formally joined the Forum for Democratic Change (FDC). She beat the NRM’s Margaret Nantongo Zziwa of as the Women Member of Parliament for Kampala in the Eighth Parliament a position she has maintained to-date.
Late last year Nabila, as she is popularly known, defected from the FDC to join the newly formed NUP, and scooped the party ticket for the Lord Mayoral race, the only woman in the contest.
Eddie Bazira Kibalama, Independent
He might be new in the local political arena, but Bazira has an idea of how modern, organised cities look like from his experience when he lived in Sweden since 1994.
Born in Mulago in 1974, the former boxer entered politics as a Member of the Social Democratic Party in Sweden.
The Sweden resident is the chairman of Baltic Pro Box Promotions, one of the biggest boxing promotion companies in Uganda.
On his Facebook page, he reiterates his commitment to transform Kampala City into “a clean, modern, smart and integrated world-class city.”
OTHERS are
Innocent Kawooya, (Independent)
Financial inclusion expert, and CEO of HiPipo (U) Limited.
Yakub Mayanja Musaazi (Alliance for National Transformation)
Micheal Evans Mugabi (Independent)
Isaac Sendagire (Independent)
