The Kampala Capital City Authority (KCCA) lord mayoral race has tightened as eleven candidates were nominated to contest for the leadership at City Hall in 2021.
District returning officer for Kampala electoral area Frederick Muwaya Tibakuno confirmed that 11 candidates had been nominated for the Kampala City lord mayoral seat.
Among the nominees is incumbent Lord Mayor Erias Lukwago of main opposition Forum for Democratic Change (FDC) party, celebrated musician Daniel Kazibwe aka Ragga Dee of the ruling National Resistance Movement (NRM), actor Charles James Ssenkubuge of Democratic Party (DP), Kampala woman MP Nabilah Sempala Naggayi of National Unity Platform (NUP), and 23-year-old social worker Yakub Mayanja Musaazi of the Alliance for National Transformation (ANT).
The others are independents. They include singer Joseph Mayanja aka Jose Chameleone who was dropped by NUP, Isaac Sendagire, Ben Lule, Innocent Kawooya, Eddie Bazira Kibalama, and 24-year-old Evans Micheal Mugabi, a senior six leaver of Old Kampala Senior Secondary School.
Mr Mugabi believes time is now for the youth to take over political leadership of the country.
“We [the youth] are not pleased with the participants in our elections. They keep saying we are the future leaders and the future is in our hands; that future should start now,” said Mugabi
Meanwhile, Tibakuno confirmed that 484 KCCA councilor aspirants were nominated, 2,904 were nominated for division councillorship, and 36 candidates were nominated for division mayoral seats.
He advised candidates interested in local council elections to book their time slots in advance for proper planning.
“We are advising the candidates to come and make arrangements for schedules for their nomination at appointed times instead of just walking in,” said Tibakuno.