U-turn: Latif Ssebagala announces he’ll contest for Kawempe North parliamentary seat

Incumbent Kawempe North MP Latif Sengendo Ssebagala has used his brother’s send off in Kampala to announced he will seek to retain his parliamentary seat.

At the burial ceremony for former Kampala mayor Al Hajji Nasser Ntege Sebaggala in Kisaasi, Kampala, the Ssebagala family announced its candidates in the 2021 general elections.

Among these was Ssebagala, who also said he wouldn’t go against the family position.

He confirmed he would return to keep his seat.

Ssebagala’s National Unity Platform (NUP) had announced its flag bearer for Kawempe North in Kawempe Councilor Muhammed Ssegirinya.

NUP rejected former deputy lord mayor Sulaiman Kidandala.

Ssebagala had expressed interest in the NUP flag for Kampala mayoral race.

NUP granted him the flag, rejecting former DP mobiliser and singer Joseph Mayanja aka Jose Chameleone.

Later, Ssebagala withdrew from the race, prompting NUP to conduct another exercise to pick a flag bearer.

Ssebagala said he pulled out “in the interest of the wider opposition.”

The Kamwokya-based party handed over the flag to Ssebagala’s sister-in-law and incumbent Kampala Woman MP Nabilah Sempala Naggayi.

Naggayi had left main opposition Forum for Democratic Change (FDC) party after she missed out on the deadline for submission of nomination forms.

Even when FDC reopened the nomination exercise, Naggayi declined to take part in the exercise.

She is now in the race against incumbent Ssalongo Erias Lukwago, the FDC candidate.

And although many thought he would vie for a seat in the regional East Africa Legislative Assembly (Eala), Ssebagala had announced he would return to Kawempe North.

NUP is expected to mediate between Ssebagala and Ssegirinya. When this fails, the incumbent will face Ssegirinya in the race for the constituency.