KAMPALA – The incumbent Lord Mayor of Kampala, Erias Lukwago, has declared his intention to contest for the city’s top office again, issuing a defiant warning to his opponents and declaring that not even President Yoweri Museveni could defeat him in an election.
Lukwago’s declaration was marked by strong language and bold claims, directly naming city tycoon Hamis Kiggundu, popularly known as Ham, and accusing him of financing a plot to unseat him.
The Mayor claimed that Mr. Kiggundu harbors intense animosity towards him. “When Ham Kiggundu sees Lukwago he wishes him only death,” he stated. “But I want to assure him that I am here to stay and I am not going anywhere.”
Positioning himself as the city’s most resilient opposition figure, Lukwago recounted his past struggles, citing them as proof of his commitment. “I am the only true opposition in Kampala because I have suffered a lot to [the] point of security [tearing] my clothes apart,” he said, alluding to past confrontations with state security agencies.
In a statement that is sure to draw national attention, Lukwago boasted of his electoral strength within the capital. “Even if it is Gen. Museveni standing as Lord Mayor, I will defeat him badly,” he proclaimed. He added a message to his detractors, saying, “Whoever thought I will retreat from representing Kampala is dreaming.”
The Mayor further revealed that he possesses “reliable information” implicating Kampala tycoons, specifically naming Ham Kiggundu, in backing his main challenger from the National Unity Platform (NUP), Eng. Balimwezo.
This allegation sets the stage for a highly charged political battle, pitting Lukwago’s established reputation as a veteran opposition figure against the NUP, which has emerged as a dominant force in Ugandan opposition politics since the last election.
The race for the Lord Mayorship of Kampala is shaping up to be one of the most fiercely contested and dramatic battles in the upcoming electoral cycle.
