KAWEMPE— On a rather chilly evening on Thursday (July 17), the courtyard of Makerere University’s Central Teaching Facility buzzed with energy. Supporters in yellow NRM T-shirts chanted and danced, rallying behind Faridah Nambi—the woman they believe could finally end the opposition’s two-decade reign in Kawempe North.
Nambi, a seasoned social worker and daughter of NRM vice chairperson Alhaji Moses Kigongo, had just secured a landslide victory in the party’s primary elections, defeating her sole challenger, Hanifa Karadi, with 90 percent of the vote. But as the drums faded and crowds dispersed, a more pressing question lingered in the air: Can Nambi translate this internal party win into a constituency-wide upset in 2026?
“We are not enemies; we were just competitors,” she said in her victory speech, extending an olive branch to Karadi. “I need comrade Karadi on my team so we can combine forces and defeat the opposition.”
She was clear-eyed about the scale of the challenge ahead. Kawempe North has never elected an NRM MP since Uganda reintroduced multiparty politics in 2005. Winning here would be more than a personal victory—it would be a symbolic crack in a fortress the ruling party has never breached.
A Fortress of Opposition—and Tragedy
Kawempe North’s identity is steeped in opposition politics. For two decades, it was the domain of Latif Ssebaggala, a DP-leaning independent who held the seat with a mix of grassroots loyalty and urban charisma. In 2021, he passed the baton to Muhammad Ssegirinya, the flamboyant NUP candidate whose meteoric rise mirrored the “People Power” wave that swept much of Kampala.
But Ssegirinya’s time in Parliament was marked more by headlines than legislative impact. Arrested in 2021 over alleged links to the Masaka machete killings, he spent long stretches in detention, battling serious health issues and making only fleeting appearances in the House. His tenure, though emotionally resonant for many, was administratively fractured. He died in late 2024, his parliamentary record left unfinished—his legacy hanging somewhere between sympathy and squandered opportunity.
A Legal Setback for the Opposition
Following Ssegirinya’s death, NUP fielded Elias Luyimbaazi Nalukoola, a respected human rights lawyer known for defending political prisoners. His election seemed to consolidate NUP’s grip on the constituency.
But in early July 2025, just months before the general elections, a court ruling threw everything into disarray. Faridah Nambi successfully challenged Nalukoola’s election in the High Court, citing irregularities in NUP’s internal selection process. The court sided with her, annulling his victory and throwing NUP into a scramble as it reconsiders its 2026 strategy.
The ruling has opened a small but significant window for the NRM—a chance to break through what has long been a locked door.
Shadows Over Nambi’s Victory
Even as she celebrates her primary win, Nambi is not without controversy. At several Makerere University polling stations, whispers of irregularities marred the process.
“It was a fraud,” said one voter who requested anonymity. “People were voting multiple times—some at Nkrumah Hall and then again at Mitchell Hall.”
By press time, the NRM electoral commission had issued no official response. But the allegations cast a shadow over the party’s internal credibility—just as Nambi is calling for transparency and unity ahead of a pivotal campaign.
Cracks in the Yellow House: NRM’s Urban Challenge
The road to reclaiming Kawempe isn’t just about personalities; it’s about rebuilding trust. Edgar Barigye Kugonza, a grassroots NRM mobilizer, says the party has long struggled to connect with urban voters.
“Our problem is poor coordination, weak mobilization, and the failure to sustain our limited victories,” he said. “If NRM wants a landslide in 2026, we need a multifaceted approach—addressing historical wounds, embracing diversity, and using tech to reach younger voters.”
His advice: less pomp, more people. Less armored convoys and campaign cash, more authentic conversations with youth, boda riders, mothers in market stalls, and unemployed graduates in Kampala’s slums.
That’s the strategy Nambi seems to be betting on. In her remarks after the primary win, she promised to “go and look for services for the people of Kawempe because we know where they are.” The emphasis, she said, would be on “hardworking ladies”—a nod to grassroots women’s groups that have long felt overlooked in Uganda’s political calculus.
Credibility Before Campaigns
But as political veterans like Capt. Francis Babu warn, even the best messaging can fail if the public sees the messenger as tainted.
“Propaganda against the NRM is real,” Babu said, “but corruption within the party is a bigger problem. A good candidate with a clean manifesto won’t matter if the party machinery is broken.”
Kampala voters, Babu argues, are no longer moved by slogans or patronage. They’re voting on local issues—potholes, school fees, trash collection, and police harassment—not just on party flags or historical loyalty.
The Long Game in Kawempe
To win in 2026, Nambi must walk a tightrope: embracing her party’s legacy while confronting its failures. She will need to offer a version of NRM that is not just better organized but emotionally resonant—one that listens more than it commands.
That means reimagining what politics looks like in urban Uganda. Less spectacle, more service. Less chest-thumping, more showing up.
In Kawempe North, where frustration simmers beneath every election cycle, the voters will be watching closely—not just what Nambi says, but what she actually does.
And in that waterlogged, pothole-riddled, resilient corner of Kampala, even the smallest promise fulfilled could make all the difference.
