Minister Muyingo keeps Bamunanika voters guessing next move
State Minister for Higher Education, Mr John Chrysostom Muyingo. PHOTO/FILE
What you need to know:
While some supporters worry he may be exiting elective politics, Mr Muyingo insists he is still consulting and has not ruled out returning to the race
The political future of State Minister for Higher Education Chrysostom Muyingo hangs in the balance as he delays picking nomination forms for the 2026 elections. This has left voters in Bamunanika Constituency, Luweero District, speculating about his next move.
While some supporters worry he may be exiting elective politics, Mr Muyingo insists he is still consulting and has not ruled out returning to the race. He also cites advice from President Museveni to focus on his national role in the Ministry of Education. “The period set for the expression of interest is not yet closed at the NRM Electoral Commission. I am still consulting my people on whether I should stand. But my boss has also advised me to concentrate on my current assignments at the ministry,” Mr Muyingo told Daily Monitor on Tuesday.
He, however, said that should he opt out of the parliamentary race, he will support the eventual NRM flag bearer in Bamunanika Constituency. “As a loyal cadre of the NRM, I have an obligation to mobilise for the party and my President. Even when I haven’t been MP, the development programmes in Bamunanika have continued,” he said. On June 7, a wave of uncertainty swept through Luweero District after rumours circulated that Mr Muyingo had quit elective politics. His silence on the matter only deepened speculation, frustrating some of his longtime supporters. Ms Agnes Nabaggala Kisakye, a resident of Zirobwe Town Council and a beneficiary of the Bamunanika Constituency Education Fund founded by Mr Muyingo, voiced her concerns.
“My family has an engineer today because of Hon Muyingo. Many other families have benefited too. If he chooses to retire, that’s his right, but we need clarity about what will happen to the projects he initiated,” she said. The Zirobwe Town Council chairperson, Mr Pascali Imarach, said the timing of the rumour was unfortunate, especially when the NRM is trying to rebuild support in Luweero, a district where the Opposition swept majority seats in 2021. “To me, it’s still a rumour until Hon Muyingo issues a public statement. But if true, it would be a blow to the party’s efforts in the region,” he said. Mr Imarach also criticised some members of Mr Muyingo’s former campaign team, accusing them of internal wrangles and selfishness that alienated the minister from ordinary voters.
“The team denied him access to the realities on the ground. Some voters reacted by electing a new leader in protest, but many have since regretted the decision,” he added. Daily Monitor could not independently verify the allegations. Mr Muyingo, 65, a renowned educationist, entered elective politics in 2011 as an independent MP for Bamunanika.
He later joined the NRM and retained the seat in 2016. However, in the 2021 elections, he lost to NUP’s Robert Ssekitoleko, who garnered 27,850 votes to Muyingo’s 24,463. Other aspirants for the Bamunanika seat in 2026 include the incumbent Robert Ssekitoleko (NUP), Ms Elizabeth Salabwa (NRM), Mr Arnold Walugembe (NUP), and former MP Ali Ndawula.
