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Lwemiyaga: Battle to end Ssekikubo’s 24-year reign
Lwemiyaga County MP Theodore Ssekikubo (L), his challengers Joy Kabatsi (C) and Brig Emmanuel Rwashande (R). PHOTOS/ FILE/COURTESY
What you need to know:
- Lwemiyaga County is set for a high-stakes parliamentary race as long-time MP Theodore Ssekikubo faces fierce competition from political heavyweights, including Joy Kabatsi, Brig Emmanuel Rwashande, and other new aspirants, amid shifting alliances and growing voter frustration over service delivery.
The political landscape in Lwemiyaga County is shaping up for a fierce contest as long-time rivals and fresh aspirants gear up to challenge incumbent Member of Parliament Theodore Ssekikubo, who has held the seat for 24 years.
Among those vying for the seat are former State Minister for Transport Joy Kafura Kabatsi and retired army officer Brig Emmanuel Rwashande. They are joined by six other aspirants, all seeking to unseat Ssekikubo in what is expected to be a dramatic race.
Unlike Kabatsi, who is standing for a second time, after she was twice defeated by Ssekikubo in the 2021 General Election, Rwashande is making his maiden attempt to enter Parliament.
Rwashande has the support of former UPDF representative in Parliament, Maj Gen (Rtd) Phinehas Katirima, who is believed to be a key influencer in the area.
He also has the full backing of President Museveni's younger brother Micheal Nuwagira, aka Toyota, and also chairperson of the Patriotic League of Uganda (PLU), a political mobilisation outfit.
Surprisingly, Toyota's group was, until the end of February backing Kabatsi, and Rwashande was part of the team that traversed the constituency campaigning for Kabatsi.
It is not yet clear why Rwashande has chosen to vie for the same seat.
The quartet [Rwashande, Kabatsi, Toyota and Katirima] has, in the past months, been crisscrossing the constituency meeting key local leaders to convince them to join the campaign to unseat Ssekikubo.
Stakes are high in Lwemiyaga County just like in the previous years, especially in the NRM primaries where the winner is usually determined.
Rwashande, who is set to launch his campaign this Friday at Lwemiyaga Model Primary School, says he is motivated by the need to restore unity and address social and political challenges in the area.
"I am a known champion of transformative leadership and meaningful service delivery Our current MP is embroiled in conflicts with political leaders, and his constituents have deliberately failed to address the political and social challenges of our area, and that is the very reason I am offering myself," he says.
Rwashande pledges to leverage his military experience and influence to restore peace and foster positive change in the constituency.
He adds: "This is one of the few constituencies where people still share water with animals. I promise to improve infrastructure, create markets for agricultural produce and introduce industries to provide jobs for youth in Lwemiyaga.
He says they are still in talks within the NRM camp to front one strong contender against Ssekikubo.
"My sister Kabatsi has tried [to unseat Ssekikuboj in the past, but failed. I think it is because of her character of not being flexible, we are still talking with her to step aside, Rwashande adds.
Kabatsi undeterred by past defeats
Kabatsi, who garnered 5,649 votes against Ssekikubo 8,527 during the 2021 General Election, rules out any possibility of quitting the race.
"My friend Ssekikubo has failed to diagnose the problems of Lwemiyaga. Our area deserves an MP who can tack- le its problems head-on and deliver tangible results. I am the only person, who can hold Ssekikubo accountable for his failures and mobilise the constituents to demand better representation," Kabatsi says.
She highlights her ongoing projects, including road tarmacking in Ntuutsi and streetlight installation in various parts of the constituency as proof of her commitment to development.
I am starting with Karushonshomezi, our neighbouring town. There is a lot I am doing, and more will come to im- prove the development of Lwemiyaga," Kabatsi says.
Before shifting to Lwemiyaga, Kabatsi made three unsuccessful bids for the Sembabule District Woman MP seat, losing each time to Hanifa Kawooya (2006-2021).In 2021, Kawooya moved to Mawogola West and won the seat.
Confident of retaining seat
Ssekikubo, who is seeking a sixth term in Parliament, scoffs at his opponents, saying it will not be easy to unseat him if their strategy remains focused solely on attacking his character rather than presenting concrete plans for the constituency.
"I am a beloved figure among Lwemiyaga voters. Let them tell the people what they are going to do for them, rather than spreading propaganda and attacking me personally," he says.
During his 24-year tenure as a legisla- tor, Ssekikubo cites his efforts in mobilising residents to benefit from govern- ment programmes such as the Parish Development Model and lobbying for clean water and electricity as some of his achievements.
He also insists that he remains the of ficial NRM flag bearer and accuses Toyota of meddling in Lwemiyaga politics. "Many areas of Uganda have problems, why is he Ssekikuboj frequenting Lwemiyaga? he asks.
But Toyota has since defended his involvement, saying "It is not only Lwemiyaga where I have intervened. I have been in Rakai and elsewhere. I am a leader, and I cannot sit back and watch when people are being oppressed."
Positioning himself as an alternative leader for Lwemiyaga, Ndengana, 30, has vowed to work closely with lo- cal leaders and his supporters to bring change.
"I want to resolve land issues that have become chronicle in our area and also improve social welfare, mostly on the health and education sectors," he says.
The former Guild President of Kampala University and lawyer says he will not contest as an independent in case he loses the NRM primaries.
"I contested during NRM primaries in 2020 and lost, but this time I have mobilised very well and expect to get the par- ty flag, "he says.
Bwiire, who ran as an independent candidate in the 2021 General Election and garnered 4,196 votes, is also busy mobilising his supporters.
"Lwemiyaga needs to be liberated. For many years, there has been nothing we can celebrate about our representative's work. We need a new leader who will bring fresh ideas that can trans- form our area, "he says.
Migadde, who also eyes the same seat, says he will ensure that education standards improve in the constituency For many years, Lwemiyaga has not had a tertiary institution, and when students complete Senior Four, they have nowhere to go for further studies. We only have one secondary school in the entire county, and students have to walk over 15 miles to attend school. This demotivates our children from furthering their education, "he says.
Dr Asaph Tumwebaze (independent) and Kato Jacob Mwesigye (NRM) are al- so jostling to replace Ssekikubo, and more contenders are still expected to join or quit the race.
Frustration among residents
Frustration among residents continues to grow over poor service delivery Henry Kibuule, a resident of Bulongo Sub-county in Lwemiyaga, says development in the area has stagnated de- spite having vocal leaders.
"Our children have to walk 8km to get to a primary school, which forces many to drop out because they cannot make such a long journey. The healthcare is even worse-the facilities are all in poor state with lack of medical staff and there are no drugs, "Kibuule says.
BACKGROUND
Lwemiyaga is located in Lwemiyaga County, in Sembabule District, about 51 kilometres northwest of Sembabule. This is about 104 kilometres northwest of Masaka, the nearest large city. With shifting alliances, new entrants, and heightened stakes, the Lwemiyaga parliamentary race promises to be one of the most intriguing contests in the 2026 General Election.
Ssekikubo joined Parliament in 2001 when he defeated former MP Sam Rwakoojo, who was until 2020, serving as secretary of the Electoral Commission. The politician will be standing on the NRM ticket should the party primaries go in his favour.
In the 2021 General Election, Ssekikubo polled 8,527 votes, Kabatsi (Ind) 5,649, Bwire (Ind) 4,196, and Paul Ziridamu (NUP) 384. The 2016 race was similarly competitive, with Ssekikubo securing 9,272 votes, followed closely by Patrick Nkalubo (Ind) with 8,074 votes.
Meanwhile, in neighbouring Mawo- gola North, President Museveni's younger brother, Sodo Aine Kaguta, is once again challenging incumbent MP Shartis Musherure, daughter of former Foreign Affairs Minister Sam Kutesa. Aine claims he was persuaded to step aside in 2021 but insists he will not back down this time.
