NUP Sweeps Mukono: Ssenyonga Takes LC5 Chair as Opposition Dominates Local Races

Johnson Muyanja Ssenyonga of the National Unity Platform (NUP) has been declared the winner of the Mukono District Local Council 5 (LC5) chairperson seat in the 2026 local government elections, consolidating the opposition party’s hold on the district. Early tallies and results shared by sources indicate that Ssenyonga secured a comfortable lead over his main rivals, a result reflecting the district’s strong leaning toward NUP in this election cycle.

Ssenyonga — a former Mayor of Mukono Municipality and ex-Member of Parliament for Mukono South — ran on the NUP ticket after being endorsed by party leaders earlier in 2025. During his campaign, he pledged to address key local issues including infrastructure rehabilitation, improved access to clean water, health service enhancement and youth employment.

In the closely contested race, Ssenyonga’s main challenger was Francis Lukooya “Mukoome”, the candidate from the ruling National Resistance Movement (NRM) and a former district chairperson. Another contender, Rauben Ssenyonjo, contested as an independent. Provisional result reports show Ssenyonga leading by a clear margin with substantial support from voters across the district.

The ruling NRM’s district chairperson, Haruna Semakula, conceded defeat to NUP candidates across key positions in the district, including the LC5 chairperson race. Semakula attributed the outcome to overconfidence and inadequate campaigning by the party’s candidates in an area long perceived as an opposition stronghold.

Rev. Dr. Peter Bakaluba Mukasa, the incumbent LC5 chairperson before the election, had served the district under the NUP banner and was sidelined by his party in favour of Ssenyonga in the run-up to this election. Mukasa’s tenure was marked by notable controversies and internal administrative decisions, including a suspension of the District Service Commission amidst corruption allegations.

The result reinforces NUP’s dominance in Mukono, where opposition candidates also secured parliamentary and other local seats in the recently concluded general elections. Local political analysts say the outcome reflects continuing voter preference for change at the grassroots level, even as national dynamics evolve following the January 15 polls.

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