As Uganda heads towards the 2026 general elections, several individuals are declaring their intentions to contest for various political positions. Among them is Winifred Nakandi, who is vying for the position of Woman Member of Parliament for Kampala District.
In an exclusive interview with the Nile Post, Nakandi opened up about her political journey, her plans for Kampala, and addressed some of the swirling rumors about her personal life including alleged ties to National Unity Platform (NUP) president Robert Kyagulanyi Ssentamu, popularly known as Bobi Wine.
Below are excerpts from the interview.
To begin with, who is Winifred Nakandi?
My name is Winifred Nakandi. I am a resident of Kampala District and a member of the National Unity Platform (NUP). I am currently aspiring to become the Woman Member of Parliament for Kampala District.
What is your home district?
I was born in Mpigi District. While I have spent most of my adult life in Kampala studying, working, and serving in various leadership roles I have also served my home district. Until recently, I was the NUP Youth Coordinator for Mawokota South Constituency in Mpigi District, a position I relinquished to focus on my Kampala bid.
Take us through your academic background
Academically, I hold a Diploma in Microfinance and a Bachelor's Degree in Economics and Statistics from Kyambogo University. While at Kyambogo, I served as Vice Guild President in 2016/17, and later became President of the Uganda National Students Association (UNSA) in 2017/18, representing students across Uganda.
After completing my undergraduate studies, I enrolled at Uganda Management Institute (UMI), where I earned a Postgraduate Diploma in Monitoring and Evaluation. I am currently finalizing my Master’s Degree in Management, specializing in Monitoring and Evaluation.
I have also worked in civil society. I run an organization called Msichana Uganda “Msichana” means “girl” in Kiswahili. Our focus is on women and girls in and beyond Kampala, particularly on health, education, and sustainable economic empowerment. I am deeply passionate about women’s economic independence and the education of girls.
What inspired you to contest for the Woman MP seat in Kampala?
As an advocate for women’s rights and empowerment, I felt the current representation does not fully reflect the needs of Kampala’s women. Kampala has nine constituencies each currently represented by a man. While women are constitutionally allowed to contest for any seat, the Woman MP position is a special seat under affirmative action, and I believe it should be occupied by someone who is deliberate and passionate about women’s issues.
Kampala’s women face numerous challenges: Inadequate access to government programs like the Parish Development Model (PDM) and GROW funds, Poor healthcare infrastructure, teenage pregnancies, limited support for women in markets and informal sectors
For instance, KCCA has repeatedly requested Parliament to renovate health centers over the past three years, with little success. We need a voice in Parliament that pushes for such critical interventions particularly around health, education, and economic empowerment.
You are running against several notable figures, including the incumbent Shamim Malende. What makes you different?
First, I respect all candidates and especially my colleagues within NUP. I would be glad if, even in my absence, another capable NUP candidate represents our shared values.
What sets me apart is that I am already doing the work. Through Msichana Uganda I have been on the ground promoting the livelihood of women and youth. My focus is clear: to advocate for equitable access to government resources, talent development, health services, and education.
Unlike politicians who use young people and women only during campaigns offering jerseys and T-shirts branded with their images I aim to build sustainable support systems. For instance, instead of giving out jerseys once, I want to partner with institutions that can develop youth talent long-term, so young people can earn livelihoods from their skills, whether in sports or other fields.
Also, on health: it’s unacceptable that mothers still deliver on hospital floors in Kampala. We need policies that improve maternal health services and ensure affordable or free access to essential care.
On education: the transition of girls from primary to secondary school is alarmingly low due to poverty, lack of menstrual supplies, and teenage pregnancies. Girls need a leader who understands and advocates for their realities.
Where do you get the resources to carry out all these activities you have mentioned?
I am the Executive Director and Founder of the organization. One of my key strengths is networking, along with proposal writing and lobbying. I understand that to do meaningful work, you must lobby for resources. Most of our support has come from international partners especially from Germany. However, we have also managed to raise some funds locally.
We have benefited from various small grants for instance. These may be small baskets of funding, but they help us make a big difference. Every time we secure funding, we develop a work plan to reach specific groups especially girls and women in underserved areas.
On a personal level, my advocacy work has taken me beyond Kampala. For instance, I spent a year working in Kween District in Sebei Sub-region to combat female genital mutilation. During community engagements, we provided reusable sanitary pads to schoolgirls and women in gardens. We have supported schools in areas like Bwaise and Bugiri, where we intervened after a surge in teenage pregnancies and school dropouts due to menstruation-related challenges.
In addition to running my organization, I also serve as the Head of Policy for the Brave Movement Uganda a coalition of organizations working to prevent child sexual violence. Through that role, I have advocated for enforcement of existing laws on defilement, rape, and related crimes. Many laws exist, but they are poorly implemented. Girls still face abuse, often from people as close as their own fathers.
My advocacy has even taken me to continental platforms.
In 2022, I met the Speaker of Parliament to present policy proposals, and later that year, I participated in a dialogue with the Pan-African Parliament in Johannesburg.
We discussed how African countries are lagging in implementing key regional protocols like the Maputo Protocol, Abuja Declaration on health budgets, and the Nairobi Declaration on education.
In fact, the Abuja Declaration requires governments to allocate 15% of their national budgets to health, yet Uganda only commits 8.1%. I was also the only African panelist at a conference hosted by Liverpool John Moores University, where I presented on how menstruation affects girls’ education in Africa.
Let me give you a personal example.
My best friend got pregnant in Primary Seven because of a period-related incident. She stained her dress, and when called to clean the chalkboard, the cloth she had used as a pad fell. Embarrassed, she ran away from school and never returned.
She was pregnant the next year and had three children before turning 20. Her life changed forever. This is why menstruation is not a trivial matter. It is deeply connected to education and life outcomes for girls.
When did you join the National Unity Platform (NUP)?
I joined NUP when the People Power movement was forming around 2018. Before that, I was an FDC member from 2014. However, I wasn’t active in NUP until 2023 when I resumed full participation in politics. That’s when I became the NUP Youth Coordinator for Mawokota South in Mpigi District. I did not contest in 2021, which shows that I didn’t join for personal gain.
Some critics claim many people join NUP only for personal interest or to retain political seats. How do you respond to that?
I am not one of them. I have always been in opposition politics first with FDC from 2014 to 2018, then with NUP from 2018. If I were chasing personal gain, I would have contested in 2021. I didn’t. I am standing now because I see a clear gap in female representation in Kampala.
If my party endorses someone else, I will not support them. But if they choose me, I will bring transformational leadership.
There are allegations that some candidates pay money to get NUP tickets. Is this true?
You are touching on a serious issue. The current process is based on our party’s constitution, which supports primaries. What I can say is that internal systems need strengthening. Transparency and fairness must be prioritized if we want people to trust the process and believe in the values of the party.
Yes. The vetting process is guided by our party constitution.
Within NUP, we have an Election Management Committee that is responsible for vetting all aspiring candidates. The fact that I submitted my expression of interest to run for the Woman MP seat in Kampala District shows that I understand and believe in the process.
If I didn’t, I would have stood as an independent or joined a different political party. This is the structure we have, and I am committed to it.
Have you heard any claims of candidates being asked to pay money during the vetting process?
I am not the party spokesperson, so I can’t speak for everyone. However, I personally have not been asked for money. I haven’t encountered anyone who told me they were asked to pay either. That said, if someone claims they were asked for money, that’s their experience and I won’t dismiss it. But for me, I have no such experience.
Our politics is increasingly commercialized. Some candidates say they expect to spend billions. Where will you get the money for your campaign?
It’s very unfortunate that politics has become heavily monetized even in opposition spaces. While many people think it’s only the ruling party spending money, we’re now seeing huge amounts used in opposition campaigns too.
This monetization is dangerous. It shuts out credible, capable leaders who don’t have the financial muscle.
Young people with integrity are left behind simply because they can’t afford to compete. And with current demands from managing propaganda to responding to voter expectations the cost of campaigning is skyrocketing.
The NRM has normalized this system, flooding the process with money, causing political inflation that disadvantages those without deep pockets. But I still have hope that voters in Kampala will look beyond money and choose leaders who are genuinely committed to service.
Is this monetization of politics partly responsible for the rise in poor leadership?
Yes, definitely. When voters prioritize money over merit, they stop listening to what candidates are saying. Many voters now ask, “What have you brought us?”soda, transport, handouts.
This mindset comes from past neglect. MPs often disappear after elections, so voters see elections as the only time they can benefit.
They demand money now because they expect nothing later.
But this also leads to underperformance. If someone invests a billion shillings to enter Parliament, they won’t focus on service they’ll focus on recovering their money. Meanwhile, an MP’s salary isn’t even enough to cover all their social obligations.
They are expected to be everything: mayor, Red Cross, disaster response... it’s unsustainable. We need to shift back to issue-based politics.
If NUP doesn’t give you the party ticket, will you contest as an independent?
No, I won’t. If I wanted to stand as an independent, I would have done that from the start. I believe in NUP, in its values, and in its leadership. If I’m not given the party flag, I will support whoever is selected to represent the party, even if it’s my competitor now.
Just to clarify for the record are you romantically involved with Bobi Wine?
Honestly, this is just one of many baseless allegations. It’s not surprising to me because politics is filled with propaganda. People have called me a night dancer. Others claim “Nakandi” is not even my real name that I just adopted it this year.
When you interrupt a system and pose a serious threat to others, they will try everything to discredit you. Propaganda is a political tool I choose not to use. These allegations, including the one about Bobi Wine, are unfounded and intended to derail my focus. They don’t move me.
(To answer you) no, I am not (in romantic relationship with Bobi Wine). That is a baseless rumor. And I am not the only woman in NUP who’s been targeted by such nonsense. Every female leader has faced similar accusations. It’s a tired tactic used to reduce strong women to rumors and innuendo. But I remain focused on what matters serving the people.
How do you rate the performance of the current Woman MP for Kampala?
I won’t give a percentage, but I acknowledge that she has done commendable work in litigation she is a lawyer and has used her skills there. My goal is to focus on women-oriented representation, restoring dignity to the office and directly addressing women’s needs in Kampala.
Some people feel NUP has been infiltrated by the regime. What’s your view?
The regime has money, resources, and power. They have successfully infiltrated before, so the fear is valid.
But parties must be careful not to see every new person as a mole. That kind of suspicion can destroy movements. Just look at FDC internal mistrust tore them apart. Yes, some people might be compromised, but others are victims of propaganda and blackmail. We must be vigilant, but also fair.
Where do you see NUP in the next five years?
NUP is here to stay. I see us gaining more parliamentary seats and increasing our influence nationally. If the 2026 general election is free and fair, I believe Hon. Robert Kyagulanyi will win the presidency. People love him and believe he can offer real solutions. If that election is truly democratic, I see us forming government in five years.
But even Kyagulanyi himself has said elections can’t be free and fair under the current regime. Why does he keep contesting?
That question should be directed to him personally. But let me say this: there’s a saying hope for the best, prepare for the worst.
We know elections may not be fair. We expect violence, arrests, and intimidation. But we participate anyway because Uganda deserves better. If we don’t offer ourselves as alternatives, then when an opportunity for real change comes, we’ll be unprepared.
What is your greatest concern as Uganda heads toward the 2026 elections?
Violence. Unlike vote rigging, which is political, violence is unpredictable and often deadly. You never know how far it will go or who might lose their life. Sadly, this violence isn’t from ordinary people it often comes from the state: the military, police, and other security agencies. That is my greatest fear, followed by vote rigging.
What’s your final message to the people of Kampala and Uganda at large?
I sincerely thank the people of Uganda for their continued support especially the people of Kampala who have stood with me.
As we head into elections, I urge everyone to maintain peace, even when provoked. Let us resist the temptations of violence. Let’s protect our vote and our country.
We must remain peaceful and determined until the last day at the ballot box, where we elect Hon. Robert Kyagulanyi as our next president and bring a better Uganda for all.