Mukono District Returning Officer, Emily Amongin, has officially declared National Unity Platform (NUP) candidate Robert Peter Kabanda the winner of the closely contested Mukono Municipality mayoral election, following a tense vote-counting process.
The announcement came in the early hours of the morning amid heightened tension, as NUP supporters and candidates feared possible interference from Mukono NRM chairperson, Haruna Semakula.
Some supporters recalled a previous incident in which the returning officer was reportedly pressured to announce NRM candidate Francis Lukooya Mukoome as second runner-up.
Despite the anxiety, Kabanda secured a decisive victory, receiving 13,112 votes, comfortably defeating NRM’s Micdad Mulimira, who garnered 5,054 votes. The incumbent mayor, Erisa Mukasa Nkoyoyo, running as an independent, trailed with 2,283 votes.
Other independent candidates, Henry Ssenyonjo and Mathew Mutyaba, received 58 and 37 votes respectively. Mutyaba had initially expressed interest in the presidential race before switching to contest for Mukono Municipality mayor.
Kabanda was officially declared the winner at around 4:00 a.m., ending a night marked by uncertainty. In his victory speech, he promised to prioritize improved service delivery, including better roads, street lighting to boost night-time business, efficient garbage collection, healthcare, and education.
“I understand the challenges of Mukono Municipality because I have served in leadership for a long time, from councillor to chairperson of Mukono Central Division,” Kabanda said.
As the current NUP chairperson for Greater Mukono, Kabanda pledged to unite the divided political leadership in the municipality and foster a good working relationship with the central government to drive development.
Mukono Municipality, home to over 300,000 residents, comprises two divisions: Goma and Mukono Central Division. Kabanda becomes the fourth mayor, following Johnson Muyanja Ssenyonga (the first mayor), DP’s Fred Kagimu, and Erisa Nkoyoyo.