At least thirty four out of about seventy
candidates vying for parliamentary seats in
Kampala are running as independents.
According to the list of aspirants to be
nominated by the Electoral Commission,
Independents are 34 with the National
Resistance Movement (NRM) fielding 10
candidates, Democratic Party (DP) 9, Forum for
Democratic Change (FDC) 7, Social Democratic
Party (SDP) 1, Conservative Party (CP) 1,
Uganda Federal Alliance 1 and JEEMA 2.
This is in sharp contrast to the 2011 elections
where majority of candidates were flag bearers
for political parties.
Notable among those vying as Independents
include DP member Shifra Lukwago who is vying
for the Kampala Woman seat with Florence
Kiyingi, the official DP flag bearer. Latif
Ssebagala, also a DP member will tussle it out in
Kawempe North with DP candidate, Suleiman
Kidandala.
In Kawempe South, Ssebuliba Mutumba hopes to
retain his seat against DP’s Daniel Ssali.
In Kampala Central, incumbent Mohammed
Nsereko returns but as an Independent against
NRM’s Minsa Kabanda.
Some of the candidates are however not happy
with the arrangement. Latif Ssebagala believes
that the independents question would have been
avoided if the respective political parties handled
internal strife well.