Kampala, Uganda | URN | Kampala Central Woman Member of Parliament Nabilah Naggayi Sempala has resorted to the National Unity Platform to get a ticket to run for the position of Kampala City Lord Mayor.
According to Mercy Walukamba, the chairperson of the NUP election management committee, two candidates Naggayi and Kuruda Ssali on Friday 25th, September 2020 applied for the ticket and will be vetted Saturday 26th at the party offices in Kamwokya.
Naggayi confirmed to this publication in a phone interview that she was seeking the ticket from NUP and said “you will see me there” while referring to tomorrow’s vetting program. She did not give details as she hung up when asked if this means that she had officially joined NUP and hence ditched her party, the Forum for Democratic Change (FDC).
The move comes barely two months since the legislator was denied the ticket by FDC to contest for the same position. Naggayi had in July sought a ticket from FDC but was blocked by the party Electoral Commission for missing the nomination deadline.
Later FDC unveiled incumbent Lord Mayor Erias Lukwago as its candidate.
Earlier this week, NUP opened applications for the position of Kampala Lord Mayor after Latif Sebaggala who had been successfully nominated for the position withdrew in favor of Lukwago.
Joseph Mayanja alias Jose Chameleon who had competed with Sebaggala asked NUP to give him the ticket. However, the party said their legal department had advised them to open up the position again application.
Naggayi seized the opportunity to apply and now awaits vetting. Mayanja, who had contested with Sebaggala did not come back to seek the ticket. The spokesperson of his campaign team Andrew Mugonza says he could not participate in a process he already won.
Read Also: NUP reopens search for Kampala Lord Mayoral candidate
Mugonza explains that after NUP vetted Sebaggala and Mayanja on 17th September 2020, before results of the process were pronounced, Sebaggala withdrew leaving only Mayanja. He however says NUP went ahead and declared Sebaggala a winner of the ticket despite him telling them he was no longer interested in the process.
Now Mugonza says that to them, Mayanja is the rightful person for the ticket and that if denied, they shall seek redress in the courts of law. He also insinuates that Mayanja would stand even without a NUP ticket when he said that standing is one thing and getting a ticket is another.
