Independent Makindye East Member of Parliament aspirant Elijah Owobusingye has pledged to restore consistent and accountable leadership to the constituency, which he says has been “starved of a leader” for far too long.
Speaking during the Makindye East Parliamentary Debate hosted by NBS Television on Wednesday, Owobusingye emphasized his long-standing service to the area and laid out a vision anchored in prudent resource management and community-centered governance.
“I have served as a leader in Makindye East since 2005. The constituency has been starved of leadership, especially in the MP position. My manifesto is based on the national budget — if we increase the budget, we shall have more resources to work for the betterment of our communities,” Owobusingye said.
Owobusingye joins a crowded race shaping up to be one of the most closely watched contests ahead of the 2026 general elections.
He will face Ali Mulanyama of the National Unity Platform (NUP), Judith Nuwabeine Abaho of the National Resistance Movement (NRM), Lubega Francis of the Forum for Democratic Change (FDC), and Michael Mabikke of the Democratic Front (DF), alongside independents Robert Ssekidde, Tenywa Constantine Padda, and Baker Kisarita.
Makindye East has earned a reputation as a “revolving-door” constituency, with nearly every elected MP since 1996 serving just one term. Outgoing legislator Derrick Nyeko, elected in 2021 under the NUP banner during the party’s sweeping “umbrella wave,” joins a growing list of one-term MPs from the area.
The trend began in the late 1990s when Benedict Mutyaba won the seat after the Democratic Party (DP) opted not to field a candidate. His tenure ended amid controversy over poor oversight and limited delivery on campaign promises.
In 2001, Michael Mabikke, then a charismatic DP youth leader and rising opposition star, captured the seat, riding a wave of youthful enthusiasm alongside contemporaries such as Erias Lukwago, Mukasa Mbidde, and Mathias Mpuuga under the Uganda Young Democrats banner.
However, Mabikke’s political fortunes faltered in 2011 when he abandoned the parliamentary race to run for Lord Mayor, marking the beginning of a prolonged political decline. That same year, John Ssimbwa of the NRM capitalized on a divided opposition to win the seat, only to be unseated five years later amid growing anti-establishment sentiment in Kampala.
In 2016, Ibrahim Kasozi of the Forum for Democratic Change (FDC) was elected on a promise to reconnect with the people. While visible in parliamentary debates, his leadership was criticized for failing to translate national advocacy into tangible local improvements.
By 2021, the wave of youthful opposition politics under NUP swept Derrick Nyeko into office, but his term too appears set to end after a single five-year stint.
Owobusingye’s campaign positions him as a seasoned community leader determined to break Makindye East’s cycle of short-lived representation.
His focus on budget-driven development and inclusive governance seeks to appeal to voters fatigued by political turnover and unfulfilled promises.