National Resistance Movement (NRM) flag bearer for Mukono Municipality, Daisy Nabatanzi Sonko, has urged residents to choose leaders with strong ties to government if the municipality is to overcome years of stalled development and inadequate lobbying.
Speaking during the Mukono Municipality Parliamentary Debate hosted by NBS Television on Sunday, Nabatanzi painted a candid picture of a municipality in need of urgent intervention, saying Mukono’s challenges have been left to worsen due to a lack of effective representation.
“Mukono Municipality is in ICU. It’s on autopilot, and no one is lobbying effectively for the municipality. Why not send someone close to the government who can advocate strongly for Mukono?,” she said.
Nabatanzi highlighted infrastructure—especially the municipality’s strained road network—as one of the most pressing concerns. She noted that Mukono’s reputation for congestion and slow traffic flow is not accidental but a direct result of years of neglected road improvements.
“Mukono hasn’t earned the reputation of being a traffic jam hotspot, and that’s due to our poor road system, which clearly needs to be addressed,” she said.
The NRM flag bearer pledged to push for stronger partnerships with central government agencies to deliver long-delayed developments, including road upgrades, drainage improvements, and urban planning reforms. She argued that without representation capable of directly engaging policymakers, Mukono risks falling further behind neighboring municipalities.
Nabatanzi is set to face off Dunstan Eddie Mbogo of the Forum for Democratic Change (FDC), George Fred Kagimu of the Democratic Party (DP), Sarah Nakintu of the People’s Front for Freedom (PFF) and Allan Mawanda of the Democratic Front (DF).
All are seeking to unseat incumbent legislator Betty Nambooze Bakireke, popularly known as “Madam Teacher,” who is seeking yet another consecutive term in parliament.
Nambooze, a vocal member of the National Unity Platform (NUP), has maintained a strong electoral presence for decades, but observers note that the growing competition in this election cycle has intensified scrutiny over whether she will retain her seat.
In the May 2010 by-elections, then running under the Democratic Party (DP), Nambooze secured 16,413 votes defeating NRM’s Peter Balukaba Mukasa who garnered 14,302 votes.
In 2016, Nambooze secured 35,341 votes, beating NRM’s Fatuma Ndisaba, who received 23,129 votes.
In the last election, she again led with 38,383 votes, while DP’s George Fred Kagimu trailed with 16,209 votes.
With just six weeks to the elections, Mukono Municipality is shaping up to be one of the most closely watched battlegrounds, with infrastructure, service delivery, and waste management emerging as top voter concerns.