On March 11, 2025, Mariam Nakabuye, the widow of the late MP Muhammad Ssegirinya, made a public statement during the final campaign rally for NRM's Faridah Nambi in the Kawempe North by-election, announcing her shift of political allegiance from the National Unity Platform (NUP) to the National Resistance Movement (NRM).
Speaking directly to President Museveni at the rally, Nakabuye expressed her gratitude for his support, particularly in covering her late husband's medical bills. She also remarked, “NUP misled us, but we have now seen the light in NRM,” signaling a clear break from the opposition party that had previously been her political home.
Nakabuye’s move to NRM began on March 6, 2025, when she publicly joined the party, citing what she considered a betrayal by NUP. She explained that the party had ignored her late husband’s wishes when it awarded the Kawempe North parliamentary ticket to Erias Luyimbazi Nalukoola instead of Alex Luswa Luwemba, whom Ssegirinya had explicitly endorsed as his successor. Nakabuye called this decision a betrayal of her husband's intentions, saying, “This betrayal forced me to rethink my allegiance to NUP, which chose to trust Nalukoola over Luwemba, who my late husband anointed on camera.”
Since her defection, Nakabuye has been campaigning for Faridah Nambi, the NRM candidate for Kawempe North. She has been actively supporting Nambi's campaign in Komamboga, encouraging voters to back her in the upcoming election. Nakabuye believes that Nambi's close ties to President Museveni will bring much-needed development to the area, particularly in terms of educational opportunities for her children.
Her decision has caused a rift within her own family. Her co-wife, Twahirah Akandiinda, who initially ran as an independent candidate, eventually withdrew in favor of Nalukoola, further splitting the vote in the NUP camp. With three candidates now vying for the Kawempe North seat, the political landscape in the area has become more divided.
Nambi’s campaign has focused on addressing the urgent issues facing Kawempe North, especially the persistent sanitation challenges. She has promised to purchase an additional cesspool emptier to tackle the area’s waste management problems, which have long been a concern for residents. Nambi has also emphasized the empowerment of women and youth in the constituency as key pillars of her platform.
As the Kawempe North by-election approaches on March 13, 2025, all eyes are on the voters in the area. With 198,641 registered voters and 169 polling stations, the outcome of this election is highly anticipated, and the battle for the Kawempe North seat is intensifying.
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