The political temperature in Mukono Municipality is rising as former district chairperson Rev. Peter Bakaluba Mukasa officially declares his intention to challenge incumbent MP Betty Nambooze Bakireke for the parliamentary seat.
The announcement sets the stage for a high-stakes showdown between two political heavyweights whose rivalry stretches back nearly two decades.
Bakaluba, who recently lost his bid to retain the National Unity Platform (NUP) flag for district chairperson, confirmed he will contest the parliamentary seat as an independent candidate.
The declaration, made before hundreds of faithful at the grand opening of Masjid Noor Seeta in Goma Division, underlines his determination to return to national politics by taking on the same politician he clashed with in the past.
Their history is intertwined. Bakaluba, the former Mukono North MP, was defeated by Nambooze, then running under the Democratic Party (DP) ticket.
Yet years later, Nambooze facilitated Bakaluba’s political comeback by ushering him into NUP, which helped him secure the district chairperson seat.
That alliance, however, collapsed amid accusations of betrayal. Bakaluba claims Nambooze lobbied for Johnson Muyanja Ssenyonga to receive the NUP flag for the district chairperson position, a seat he had already won, leaving him sidelined and forcing him to chart an independent political path.
For Nambooze, who has represented Mukono Municipality since 2006 and built a reputation as a fiery opposition voice, Bakaluba’s return is more than just a political challenge. It is a confrontation with a familiar adversary who knows her strengths and weaknesses.
In recent statements, she accused Bakaluba of betraying the opposition cause during his tenure as district chairperson, branding him a turncoat unfit to be trusted with leadership.
As the campaign season draws closer, the question remains whether Nambooze can defend her long-held seat or whether Bakaluba’s resurgence will disrupt the political order.
Sources close to Bakaluba say he is already laying the groundwork for his campaign. He is reportedly mobilising unsuccessful NUP aspirants across the district, offering financial and logistical support for their independent bids—a strategy aimed at weakening NUP’s grip and reshaping the political landscape in his favour.
For Nambooze, affectionately called Madam Teacher by her supporters, the contest is a test of whether her two decades of dominance in Mukono politics can withstand the return of an old rival.
For Bakaluba, it is a chance for redemption, a bid to reclaim relevance, and an opportunity to topple the very figure who once ended his parliamentary career.
The race is already drawing a crowded field. Other declared candidates include George Fred Kagimu (DP), Sarah Daisy Ssonko (NRM), Andrew Ssenyonga (Independent) and Allan Mawanda (DF).
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