Opposition National Unity Platform (NUP) candidate Eng. Ronald Balimwezo took an early lead in the Kampala Lord Mayor race, edging ahead of incumbent Erias Lukwago as preliminary results began to trickle in from polling stations across the city.
Provisional tallies from the Electoral Commission showed Balimwezo performing strongly in several divisions, giving him an early advantage in one of the most closely watched contests of the election. Electoral officials cautioned, however, that the figures remained provisional and could shift as counting continued.
The Lord Mayor race attracted a crowded field of candidates, including Beatrice Nambi Mao of the Democratic Party (DP), Ibrahim Kasozi of the Forum for Democratic Change (FDC), Moses Kizito Nsubuga of the National Resistance Movement (NRM), as well as independent contenders Eddy Bazira, Nabilah Naggayi Ssempala, and Jothan Yamureebire.
Incumbent Lord Mayor Erias Lukwago, a city lawyer by training, has led Kampala City Hall for 15 years. First elected in 2011, Lukwago is seeking to extend his tenure amid growing competition from a new generation of opposition politicians, particularly from the NUP, which has made significant inroads in the capital in recent election cycles.
While Balimwezo’s early lead energized NUP supporters, Lukwago’s camp urged calm, emphasizing that substantial results from other polling centers were still outstanding.
The Electoral Commission reiterated that only officially declared results would determine the final outcome.
The Kampala Lord Mayor race is widely regarded as a key indicator of opposition dynamics in the capital, with the unfolding results expected to shape Kampala’s political landscape in the years ahead.
More updates are expected as vote tallying continues.
