Political tension in Busiro East has taken a dramatic turn after Emmanuel Matovu Magaola openly mocked those behind the removal of Mathias Walukagga from the parliamentary race, asserting that the National Unity Platform (NUP) still has a strong fallback candidate.
Speaking during his first official campaign trail, Magoola told supporters that many had celebrated Walukaga’s exit, assuming NUP had no alternative.
“They thought NUP had no stand-by generator,” he said. “But I have been here all along, ready to take forward the flag for the people of Busiro East.”
The remarks followed the Electoral Commission’s announcement of Walukaga’s removal from the contest, a decision that surprised many NUP supporters. Magoola, who had earlier missed out on the party ticket given to Walukagga, immediately launched his campaign following the announcement.
Starting mobilisation in Ganda and surrounding trading centres, Magoola urged residents to identify him by the chair symbol:
“Look for the chair because that is my symbol, but the person standing before you is NUP,” he told voters.
Despite expressing disappointment over Walukagga’s exit, Magoola assured supporters that the political struggle was far from over.
“Walukagga is my friend. Even though he has been removed, we do not underestimate our competitors. I am now NUP’s Stand-By Generator,” he said.
He pledged to prioritise women and youth if elected, emphasizing that his motivation is service:
“I am not here because I need a job; I am here because I want to serve the people of Busiro.”
Magoola also revealed that he has been engaging Walukagga to harmonize their ideas and combine plans for the constituency:
“We agreed to merge our strategies to deliver better for the people of Busiro,” he noted.
The day concluded with a rally at Kyebando Grounds, where hundreds of residents turned up to support the newly revived candidacy.