Will journalist Mukiibi dislodge Butambala’s Muwanga Kivumbi?

Journalist Eriasa Sserunjogi Mukiibi, the former editor of weekend editions for Monitor Publications Limited, has declared his intention to stand for election for the Butambala parliamentary seat in 2026. He made the announcement on April 12 on X.

For some people, like me, his decision is not surprising. Few Ugandan journalists take as much interest in politics as Mr Mukiibi. He has interacted with and interviewed prominent politicians and is probably the only journalist who held deep conversations with Paul Ssemogerere, the veteran politician who died in November 2022 at the ripe old age of 90.

He wrote extensively about Ssemogerere, and – it is safe to assume – learned a great deal from his political and worldly wisdom.

Mr Mukiibi also behaves like a politician: reticent about controversial topics that many freely speak about publicly; religious in a way he knows impresses Ugandan voters. If he launches a career in politics, he will be following in the footsteps of people like Phillip Wafula Oguttu, Francis Onapito-Ekomoloit, Ibrahim Ssemujju Nganda, Joyce Bagala, Onyango Kakoba, Betty Nambooze, Peter Bakaluba Mukasa, Margaret Muhanga, etc. All of them have had stints in journalism and have been politicians or are currently serving as politicians.

But the challenge ahead of Mr Mukiibi is to prevent his campaign from ending up like that of former presidential press secretary Tamale Mirundi, Simon Kaggwa Njala and Charles Mwanguhya, both of whom are show hosts for NBS. These men’s pursuit of a career in politics came to grief, although they still have plenty of time to try at least one more time.

A pertinent question many have asked is whether Mr Mukiibi can dislodge Muhammad Muwanga Kivumbi from the Butambala seat. Mr Kivumbi is a veteran in comparison with Mr Mukiibi who is just on the threshold of a political career. He is widely viewed as a fixture in Butambala.

But veteran politicians are not entirely resistant to defeat by newcomers or political novices. If Mr Kuvumbi is banking on retaining his seat just because he is a veteran, as opposed to his popularity based on what he has done for the people of Butambala, he may be in for a rude awakening. 

Three truly memorable upsets in Ugandan political contests drive this point home. The first is from 1994, during Constituent Assembly (CA) elections, and it involved current Security minister Maj Gen Jim Muhwezi and Charles Rwomushana. Mr Rwomushana beat Maj Gen Muhwezi to become the CA delegate for Rujumbura.

Then, in 2021, we had the Kahinda Otafiire vs Donozio Kahonda (Ruhinda) contest and the Edward Ssekandi vs Richard Ssebamala (Bukoto Central) contest. In both elections, the newcomers beat powerful and well-heeled incumbents who had retained their seats since 1996.

Mr Mukiibi told Weekend Vision he would stand as an independent. But this may leave his campaign balanced on a knife-edge. He will have to convince voters why they need an independent candidate and not an NRM, NUP, FDC, DP candidate.

For voters who know – and there are very many – that Mr Mukiibi is a brother of Ramathan Ggoobi, the Permanent Secretary in the Finance ministry, they will be hoping he chooses the NRM as they think that could boost his chances of delivering goods.

The NUP option looks decidedly shaky, and it is unlikely he can stand as the party’s candidate. If he does, he has to convince voters there is something bigger, something better, he will do that Mr Kivumbi has not been able to do.

Mr Musaazi Namiti is a journalist and former
Al Jazeera digital editor in charge of the Africa desk
[email protected]    @kazbuk