Derrick Lukanga, the Kikyusa Sub- County LC V Councilor, has been declared the newly elected Luwero District Speaker following the resignation of his predecessor Abdul Mazinga.
Mazinga, affiliated with the National Unity Platform (NUP), stepped down in March 2025 after being appointed District Communications Officer. He previously represented Zirobwe Town Council at the district level.
On Wednesday, Assistant Chief Administrative Officer Henry Musisi declared the position vacant and called on the Luwero Chief Magistrate, Esther Adikin, to preside over fresh elections before any council business could proceed.
During the special session at the district headquarters, NUP councillors and members of the District Executive nominated Fred Kitaka, the District Councillor for Nyimbwa Sub- County, to replace Mazinga.
Kitaka had been serving as Deputy Speaker. The National Resistance Movement (NRM) councillors, on the other hand, fronted Derrick Lukanga, an independent but NRM-leaning councillor.
Following the vote, Chief Magistrate Adikin declared Lukanga as the duly elected Speaker with 21 votes, defeating Kitaka who garnered only 12. All 33 councillors participated in the election, with 11 subscribing to NUP, 12 to NRM, and the rest independents.
Erastus Kibirango, the LC 5 Chairman of Luwero District, expressed disappointment over Lukanga’s victory.
He described it as a sad day for residents, accusing Lukanga of having a troubled history in the council and bribing councillors to secure the seat.
Kibirango insisted that the outcome did not reflect growing NRM support but was rather a manipulated process that should not be seen as a political shift.
Jaberi Tamale, the District Councillor for Wobulenzi Town Council, attributed their loss to the resignation of several NUP councillors since 2021 who left to take up positions in civil service, weakening their numerical advantage.
Issa Nsubuga, the District Councillor for Ndejje Town Council (NUP), went further to allege that councillors were bribed.
He claimed to have received 200,000 shillings from Lukanga via mobile money on Eid day but stated he refused to vote for him.
However, Ritah Nalweyiso, the District Councillor for Butuntumula Sub- County, said the election of Lukanga was necessary to end the merging of the council’s roles with the Executive, a trend she said was evident under Kitaka’s leadership as Deputy Speaker.
Christine Nakabugo, the District Female Councillor for Kikyusa Town Council and Sub- County (NRM), said councillors united to vote for Lukanga as a step toward reclaiming NRM’s lost glory in Luwero ahead of the 2026 general elections.
Other NRM councillors accused NUP members of colluding with technical staff to secure jobs, thus failing to serve voters effectively. After taking oath as Speaker, Lukanga pledged to defend the rights of all councillors and residents.
He emphasized his commitment to restore the separation of powers between the council, Executive, and technical staff—something he claimed had broken down under previous leadership.
Despite his swearing-in, Lukanga deferred the approval of the 2025/26 district budget, stating that councillors needed more time to scrutinize it under his guidance.
Lukanga has already declared his intention to contest for the LC 5 Chairmanship, setting the stage for a potential political showdown, especially given his current tension with Chairman Kibirango.
In an unexpected twist, Fred Kitaka reclaimed the position of Deputy Speaker after it emerged, he had tactically never resigned from the role before running for Speaker—something neither the council nor the Chief Magistrate had initially noticed.
Kitaka, visibly aggrieved by his loss, declined media interviews and left the district premises in a hurry.
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