Ronald Balimwezo to Carry NUP Flag in Kampala Lord Mayor Contest
The National Unity Platform (NUP) has settled on Nakawa West legislator Ronald Balimwezo as its candidate for Kampala Lord Mayor in the 2026 general elections, setting up a high-profile showdown for control of City Hall.
The party confirmed Balimwezo’s endorsement on Friday while unveiling a list of successful flagbearers across districts. His selection positions him as NUP’s standard-bearer against incumbent Erias Lukwago, who has dominated the office since 2011.
Balimwezo, who recently announced he would not be returning to Parliament after a single term, has increasingly aligned himself with NUP’s wider mobilisation efforts. He was recently tapped to head the party’s fundraising drive under the banner “Protest Vote 2026.”
Before entering Parliament, Balimwezo cut his teeth in city politics as Mayor of Nakawa Division on the Forum for Democratic Change (FDC) ticket. In 2020, he defected to Robert Kyagulanyi’s movement and went on to win the new Nakawa West seat in 2021.
Often outspoken on matters of governance, corruption, and service delivery, the 2026 mayoral race gives Balimwezo a chance to bring his brand of activism directly to the capital’s executive leadership.
Political watchers say his candidature is likely to galvanise Kampala’s opposition politics, especially as Lukwago prepares to defend his long-held seat against fresh challengers.
With Kampala politics historically shaping national opposition momentum, Balimwezo’s entry is expected to make the mayoral contest one of the most closely scrutinised races of the 2026 elections.
