Independent Candidate, Erias Lukwago has been declared winner of the Kampala Mayoral elections held on Monday March 14th.
The Kampala district returning officer Molly Mutazindwa declared Lukwago winner with 229,325 votes, representing 64% of the total votes cast. He was followed by National Resistance Movement flag bearer Peter Sematimba with 119,015 votes representing 33%.
Erias Lukwago Kampala Lord Mayor
The other four candidates in the Kampala mayoral Race Capt. Francis Babu (Independent), Michael Mabikke (IPC/Social Democrats Party), Sandra Ngabo Katebalirwe (Independent) and Emanuel Tumusiime (Forum for Integrity in Leadership) scored minimal votes, getting single digit numbers at most polling stations and zero at some.
Lukwago who beat Sematimba and Mabikke at their respective polling stations was overjoyed with the victory and promised to work for the betterment of the city.
Ssalong (father of twins) Lukwago said he had won against the government and President Museveni who had allegedly put up a strong campaign machinery against Lukwago. He however promised to work with the government for the good of the Kampala City and fight corruption at city hall which Lukwago blames for the bad state the Kampala City is in and the poor services that people in Kampala experience.
The Electoral Commission Chairman Dr. Badru Kiddundu who was among the supervisors of the Monday election said the mayoral polls were free and fair, void of the violence and rigging that led to the cancelation of the earlier voting on February 23rd 2011.
While Lukwago becomes the first Lord Mayor of the Kampala Capital City Authority, the position will mainly be ceremonial as the new body replacing the Kampala City Council will be headed by an Executive Director appointed by the President.
This followed amendments introduced by the Kampala City bill 2010 which took over the management of Kampala city council from KCC as a local government to the central government under a new KCCA headed an ED.
Outgoing Kampala Mayor, Nassar Ntege Ssebagala said in an interview today that Lukwago’s is not an enviable reign as Lord Mayor as the position was strapped of its powers and made only ceremonial.
He says the Lord Mayor will just be a chair of the other Mayors of the now Municipal Divisions of Kampala (formerly Divisions) who include Geoffrey Nyakana of Kampala Central Municipal Division, Dr. Ian Clarke of Makindye Municipal Division, Mubarrack Munyagwa of Kawempe Municipal Division and Joyce Sebugwawo of Rubaga Municipal Division.
While the Lord Mayor and his council will be checking the new Executive Director, President Yoweri Museveni on Saturday warned against leaders who will just stifle the work of government in the city, and Lukwago will have to see he doesn’t over wrestle the government while also ensuring the developments he promised people are being undertaken accordingly.
Museveni says he has already appointed the KCCA Executive Director. Although he did not give a name, he kept referring to a she in his speech.
The profile of Erias Lukwago speaks for itself
But Lukwago can depend on his lobbying and advocacy abilities he acquired as Kampala Central Member of parliament and illustrious lawyering career to ensure his tenure is effective.
The 41 year old Lukwago has a certificate in Lawyering and Advocacy Skills from the International Law Institute, which he got after his Bachelor’s degree in law at Makerere University, and a diploma in law at the Law Development Centre (LDC).
Lukwago has been a practicing lawyer from 1998 to date in the Field of Constitutionalism and Human Rights under his M/S Lukwago and Co. Advocates where he is a managing partner.
Lukwago has been part of legal teams that won many cases for the opposition political parties and leaders over the past 10 years.
During his time as MP in the 8th Parliament, Lukwago served as the opposition Shadow minister for Justice and Constitutional Affairs and the shadow Attorney General.
Though he stood as an Independent, he has the support of his party, the Democratic Party, which he once served as national legal advisor. He was also widely supported by the Inter party Cooperation and Suubi, a Buganda leaning political pressure group.