Kampala Woman Member of Parliament, Nabilah Naggayi Ssempala has been declared as the new National Unity Platform (NUP) party flag bearer for Kampala Lord Mayoral.
This comes after the Party’s first choice Hajj Latif Ssebaggala, pulled out of the race in time for the party to field another candidate.
Mercy Walukamba, the Chairperson of NUP’s Electoral Management Committee said: “With the power vested upon me as the Electoral Management Committee chairperson, I therefore declare Nabilah Naggayi Ssempala as the NUP flag bearer for the position of Kampala Lord Mayor.”
Walukamba said Naggayi scored 166 points from the available 200 from the four-man Committee. She beat her only rival Cudrah Ssali who scored just 87 points out of the 200.
Upon being declared the flag bearer, Naggayi urged electorates to fully support National Unit Platform at all political levels.
“I think that Kampala deserves a fresh start; a new president and new lord mayor. I think that once Ugandans have elected Hon. Robert Kyagulanyi as their president, he should as well have his mayor in the city,” she said.
Before joining NUP, Nabila was bounced by her former party party the Forum for Democratic Change (FDC) where she had sought flag for the Lord Mayoral Race.
Ssempala has earned some unflattering comments especially from her former party FDC as an opportunist and unloyal member of the party.
For example she was accused of failing to make a contribution to the Party’s coffers as had been agreed that each MP makes a monthly contribution of UGX700,000 towards the running of the party.
She also failed to turn up in parliament to support her party’s united stand to block the scrapping of the age limit requirement from the constitution for anyone aspiring for presidency.
Facing Elias Lukwago, Naggayi has chosen to play the gender card by saying NUP respects women more than FDC.
“Am happy that here, NUP respects women and does not patronize them,” she said.
When why she opted to contest for Lord Mayor and leave the District Woman Seat, Naggayi said: “Because of democracy, I thought that overstaying is a problem in Uganda, I now want another strong lady to take over and I am seeking an executive position where fresh ideas are backed by experience.”
Once approved by the Party Board, Naggayi will face FDC’s Elias Lukwago, NRM’s Daniel Kazibwe alias Reggae Dee and singer turned politician Joseph Mayanja alias Chameleon who is likely to contest as an independent.
