In a new development that has steamed up the political buzz in Kampala, the National Unity Platform (NUP) deputy spokesperson Waiswa Alex Mufumbiro is set to contest for the Kawempe South parliamentary seat come 2026 and oust his fellow in ‘the struggle’ Kazibwe Bashir Mbazira.
Mufimbiro, who has already released campaign posters that are making rounds on social media, was born and raised in Busoga, but a few months back, he relocated to Kawempe South, where he rents a studio room together with his concubine, which gives him a leeway to contest in the area.
Locals in Busoga, where he hails from, have attributed his shift to the fact that he was disbanded from his village because he was a habitual thief.
In 2021, Mufumbiro contested for the Jinja Municipality West parliamentary seat on the NUP ticket but lost miserably to FDC’s Batuwa Timothy Lusala, and locals often taunted him, calling him ‘Omwibi’, a Lusoga word that means a thief.
Being a member of NUP, a party dominated by people of his character, Mufumbiro has decided to contest in the Buganda region, where the party enjoys popular support, and even jokers like Muhammad Ssegirinya, Nyenko Derick, and Francis Zake are voted simply because they’re members of NUP.
However, residents of Kawempe South have vowed not to vote for him, noting that they need someone who has a clear understanding of their political problems, not someone with a questionable past who is just looking for a parliamentary post.
“It’s hard to take Mufumbiro seriously as a candidate when he has been disbanded from his village back in Busoga for theft. We need leaders who inspire trust, not someone with such a questionable past,” John Kintu, a local businessman in Kawempe, said.
Aisha Nansubuga, a community activist, fumed that Mufumbiro’s ambitions are baffling, adding that “how can someone who was kicked out of his own village for being a habitual thief expect to represent us in parliament? We deserve better.”
Samuel Kalule, a concerned resident who also weighed in on the issue, said that Busoga rejects shouldn’t be the ones coming to represent Kawempe South in Parliament. “His move to Kawempe South feels more like a desperate escape than a genuine desire to serve. Coming from Busoga with that kind of background makes it clear that he’s not the leader we need,” Kalule said.
As the campaigning season draws nearer, it remains to be seen whether Mufumbiro can overcome the stigma of his thieving vice and persuade the voters of Kawempe South to see him as a viable candidate.
