Nakaseke South Member of Parliament Paulson Luttamaguzi Ssemakula has reiterated his decision to serve only three terms in Parliament, declaring that he will not seek to represent the constituency in 2031.
Speaking during Sanyuka One on One on Thursday, the outspoken opposition leader emphasised that politics should not be a lifelong career, pledging to return fully to farming should he be voted out of parliament in the forthcoming elections.
“I have asked the people of Nakaseke to give me only three terms with this being the last. If I’m not voted back, it’s not a matter of life and death because I will still be a farmer, and politics will remain,” Luttamaguzi said.
A staunch member of the National Unity Platform (NUP), Luttamaguzi underscored that for him, political engagement is about actions rather than appearances. He warned against complacency within the opposition, noting that some leaders appear “comfortable with the status quo.”
The seasoned legislator, who previously belonged to the Democratic Party before crossing to NUP, described Uganda’s Parliament as a “combo parliament” consisting of leaders with diverse motivations. He said that most MPs are “extremely worried because they don’t know what will happen when Museveni leaves.”
Despite the political uncertainties, Luttamaguzi said his focus remains on issues of national importance.
“In politics, there is always one winner. We only discuss issues that are paramount; we will not dwell on minor concerns such as some individuals not getting tickets,” he said.
The Nakaseke South MP is expected to face yet another heated political battle against his long-time rival, Charles Nsereko Basajjanaku, husband to NRM Deputy Secretary General Rosemary Namayanja. Their rivalry has shaped politics in Nakaseke over the past electoral cycles.
While acknowledging the challenges of opposition politics in Uganda, Luttamaguzi maintained that politics must remain a clean contest aimed at service delivery.
“Politics should be a clean game, because everything we aspire to achieve for our people should be delivered through politics,” he said
Home to President Museveni’s brother Gen. Caleb Akandwanaho (Salim Saleh), the battle for Nakaseke is expected to be one of the region’s most closely followed races, with NUP determined to retain its influence in Buganda as the ruling NRM works to reclaim lost ground.