Tribal identity and cultural affiliation have increasingly emerged as visible fault lines in the Mukono District Woman MP race, as candidates turn to appeals rooted in origin, belonging, and shared cultural heritage to consolidate support.
The contest features Margaret Nakavubu Bakubi (NRM), Vitarine Nansubuga Nalumansi (FDC), Hasifa Namazzi (DP), Sheilah Dravile Amaniyo (NUP), Peace Kusasira K.M., and independents Norah Sylvia Namutosi and Marhab Nalumu.
But as campaigns intensify, a growing reliance on tribal and cultural messaging is stirring debate across the district, with some fearing it could overshadow substantive policy discussions.
NRM’s Margaret Nakavubu has built much of her campaign around a pronounced identity narrative, urging Mukono residents to prioritise their own children.
“I was born here, married here, and I will remain here whether you vote for me or not,” she often tells voters. “Unlike others who can switch constituencies at will, it is time to vote for people you have raised.”
Her messaging blends appeals to cultural belonging with development promises drawn from the NRM manifesto—improved health services, better roads and transport, and empowerment for youth and women.
While less overt, similar identity-based undertones are surfacing in the door-to-door campaigns of FDC’s Nalumansi and DP’s Namazzi, both of whom are quietly leaning on local ties to strengthen their base. Yet other candidates are openly pushing back.
Independent candidate Peace Kusasira, who previously served as Mukono Woman MP, argues that the race should be anchored in policy and service delivery, not tribal belonging.
“Politics should focus on service delivery, women’s empowerment, and real issues affecting the people,” she says. “I have empowered women and youth more than any of those claiming to be true daughters of this district.”
Kusasira has maintained her visibility through donations of chairs, tents, and utensils to various institutions. However, her own political trajectory complicates her criticism of identity-based campaigning.
This website has established that she contested the NRM primaries in Rwampara District in 2020 and lost before returning to Mukono this year, where she again lost the party primary to Nakavubu.
NUP flag bearer Sheilah Dravile Amaniyo, who replaced incumbent MP Hanifa Nabukeera on the party ticket, has positioned herself squarely against tribal narratives, describing them as outdated and unreflective of Mukono’s social fabric.
“Mukono is cosmopolitan, full of different tribes and intermarriages,” she says. “We are a global village. Tribalism cannot unite us as Ugandans.” Amaniyo, who describes herself as a “breed of Mukono,” anchors her campaign on economic empowerment and skilling.
“For you to be economically empowered, you must have a skill, and once you have a skill, you need capital. It’s a ripple effect,” she says. “I cannot keep quiet when something is going wrong in the district.”
Independent candidate Marhab Nalumu, a repeat contender, is struggling to project her message due to language limitations, often relying solely on English.
Even so, she insists that leadership should be determined by potential and competence, not ancestry or cultural ties. A similar stance is taken by fellow independent Norah Sylvia Namutosi.
Former Kyaggwe County Head Elijah Bogere acknowledges Mukono’s deep Buganda roots but cautions against exclusion.
He notes that Mukono has welcomed many people over the years and says what matters most is respect for the kingdom and its aspirations.
Solomon Balyejusa, a resident of Nabuti, warns that allowing tribal sentiments to guide voting could distort the electoral process. He argues that voters should focus on candidates’ plans and capabilities.
Under the Parliamentary Elections 2025 guidelines, tribal identity is not among the grounds for disqualification. Candidates may be barred only if they have mental incapacity, are involved in election management, are bankrupt, hold cultural or traditional offices, or have recent convictions involving moral turpitude.
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