The Independent Uganda: You get the Truth we Pay the Price
Kampala, Uganda | THE INDEPENDENT | Activist and two-time Kampala Central parliamentary contender Harold Kaija has announced his candidacy for the Nansana Municipality MP seat in the 2026 elections.
Kaija, who previously contested in 2016 and 2021, lost both times to Muhammad Nsereko, an NRM-leaning independent in Kampala Central.
In an interview with Uganda Radio Network (URN), Kaija, a staunch supporter of Dr. Kizza Besigye, said he was responding to calls from Nansana residents to represent them in Parliament.
“To win Kampala Central MP, you need to strike a deal with Summit View polling centres, which are basically for state house security personnel. A person like me, I cannot compromise my principles, and that means I cannot win against someone who starts with nearly 10,000 votes,” Kaija stated.
He added that, “When you walk around Crested Towers, you do not see people there, but you hear someone won you with 500 votes. At Dewinton, you see no people there, yet you hear someone got 600 votes. Kampala is where you can hold a meeting and be assured of votes, but the people actually stay in Mukono and Wakiso. You can spend a whole day without meeting an actual voter.”
Kaija previously ran on the Forum for Democratic Change (FDC) ticket. However, he noted that the party has since split due to alleged funding from the NRM regime ahead of the 2021 elections. He is hopeful that by the October 2025 nominations, the Electoral Commission (EC) will have gazetted the People’s Front for Freedom (PFF)—a political platform spearheaded by Dr. Besigye—as a party, allowing him to contest under its banner.
The Nansana Municipality MP seat is currently held by Wakayima Musoke on the National Unity Platform (NUP) ticket. The 2026 race is expected to be competitive, with challengers such as journalist Blasio Zambaali Mukasa, musician Ibrahim Mayanja alias Big Eye, and NUP mobilizer John Bosco Sserunkuma, also known as Kaana Kambaata, expressing interest.
Kaija believes that Nansana voters are different, as they are less financially demanding compared to those in Kampala. He argued that in Kampala, every political meeting requires at least one million shillings to cater to attendees. However, his consultations in Nansana give him confidence that he will secure victory in 2026.
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