The National Resistance Movement (NRM) has pledged to mount a serious challenge in the upcoming Kawempe North by-election, aiming to reclaim a constituency where they have struggled for the past 20 years.
Kawempe, like much of Kampala, has remained an opposition stronghold, with all Members of Parliament in the past four elections emerging from opposition political parties or opposition-leaning independents.
The situation has been similar at the district level, where the ruling party has secured only three seats on the Kampala Capital City Authority (KCCA) out of 12 slots in the last three elections (2011, 2016, and 2021).
However, NRM Electoral Commission Chairperson Dr. Tanga Odoi believes the forthcoming by-election presents an opportunity for the party to regain lost ground.
Speaking in an interview with Nile Post, Odoi emphasised that the party is fully prepared to contest Kawempe North.
“We are ready for Kawempe,” he affirmed.
Odoi revealed that the party’s mobilisation efforts will be spearheaded by Director of Mobilisation Rose Sseninde, alongside other senior party figures.
“We are going to have a district conference, and our top mobilisation leaders, including Sseninde and Hajjati of ONC, will all head to Kawempe. We intend to maximize our efforts and strategies to secure victory,” he said.
As part of its strategy, the NRM has dropped its 2021 flag bearer, Kasenge Tom Fisher, in favor of Faridah Nambi, whom they believe will be better positioned to counter opposition candidates and reclaim the constituency.
The Kawempe North seat fell vacant following the death of Muhammad Ssegirinya who represented the constituency since 2021.
