MUKONO – The National Unity Platform (NUP) community in Mukono is reeling from shock and grief following the sudden death of one of their rising political stars, Councillor Rachel Nakamanya, under circumstances that remain unclear.
The tragedy strikes with a chilling familiarity for the local party chapter, as Nakamanya’s passing mirrors the untimely death of her predecessor just a few years prior.
Nakamanya’s death comes at the peak of her political momentum. Information reveals she had just successfully won the NUP party ticket to contest for the highly competitive Mukono District Woman Councillor seat. This victory was set to cap a promising early career; she was currently serving her first term as the Goma Division Youth Councillor, a position she assumed in a by-election following the death of the previous office holder, Shallon Mubuuke.
The similarity between the two deaths has unsettled local supporters and party officials. Shallon Mubuuke also died under unclear circumstances in 2021, shortly before she could be sworn into office as the Female Youth Councillor on the NUP ticket.
“This is a devastating and painful loss, coming so soon after a great political achievement. Our hearts are with her family and the people of Goma Division who she served diligently,” a statement from a local NUP party official read.
The double tragedy has cast a pall over the political landscape in Mukono, leaving supporters to mourn a leader they believed was destined for greater service.
Late Rachel Nakamanya will be laid to rest at her ancestral home in Masaka. As the community prepares for her burial, questions surrounding the unclear circumstances of her death continue to linger.
