Ronald Balimwezo Nsbuga has ended  Erias Lukwago’s long stay at City Hall after defeating him in the Kampala Lord mayor race, according to the official declaration of results by the Electoral Commission.

Announcing the final tally late Friday night, the Kampala Returning Officer, Jennifer Kyobutungi said Balimwezo secured a decisive victory after polling the highest number of valid votes cast across the city.

“Having added up the number of votes cast as recorded on each Declaration of Results Form in accordance with the Local Governments Act, I declare that the total number of valid votes cast for each candidate is as follows,” Kyobutungi said.

She declared that Balimwezo, running on the National Unity Platform (NUP) ticket, garnered 141,220 votes, beating his closest rivals in a crowded race.

“Accordingly, as Returning Officer for Kampala Electoral District and in accordance with the law, I declare Ronald Balimwezo Nsbuga, who obtained the largest number of votes, to be the elected candidate for Kampala,” she announced.

The results show that Moses Nsbuga Zitto of NRM garnered 43,615 votes while  Erias Lukwago, contesting on the People’s Front for Freedom (PFF) ticket, came third with 41,915 votes.

Other contenders in the race trailed far behind the winner. Beatrice Mao of the Democratic Party (DP) garnered 2,162 votes, as Ibrahim Biribawa Ssozi of the Forum for Democratic Change (FDC) obtained 1,427 votes. Independent candidates Nabilah Naggayi Sempala and Eddie Bazira Ibalama received 1,854 and 188 votes respectively, while Jothan Amureebire, also an independent, polled 119 votes, according to the final results declared by the Returning Officer.

A total of 232,500 valid votes were cast in the election, with 3,527 ballot papers rejected and 1,047 spoilt ballots, out of 236,027 ballot papers counted, according to the official results sheet.

Balimwezo’s victory brings new leadership in Kampala, ending Lukwago’s grip on City Hall that dates back more than a decade. Lukwago first rose to the top city office in 2011, when he was elected Lord Mayor of Kampala, a position he went on to retain through successive, often turbulent, electoral cycles. 

His tenure was characterised by high-profile confrontations with the central government, legal battles, impeachment attempts and a strong personal following within the opposition.

Despite changes in the governance structure of Kampala with the introduction of the Kampala Capital City Authority (KCCA), Lukwago remained a towering political figure in the city for nearly 15 years, becoming one of the longest-serving top city politicians in Uganda’s history.

Balimwezo’s ascent, on the other hand, has been gradual but steady. He entered national politics in 2011 when he was elected Member of Parliament for Nakawa East, a seat he successfully defended in subsequent elections. Known for his grassroots mobilisation and party loyalty, Balimwezo rose through the opposition ranks and later became a key mobiliser for NUP in Kampala.

The declaration was made at MUBS playgrounds at 11:20 pm on January 23, 2026, sealing a transition at City Hall.

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BUTAMBALA-Butambala Member of Parliament, Muwanga Kivumbi, has been charged with terrorism (allegations) and remanded to Kitalya Government Prison until February 3, 2026, after appearing before the Butambala Magistrate’s Court.

Muwanga Kivumbi appeared before the court under tight security without any of his lawyers. He asked the magistrate to allow him to call his legal team, and fortunately, the magistrate stood over the matter for one hour. Unfortunately, the team did not arrive in time, and Kivumbi faced the magistrate alone. Police denied Muwanga phones to communicate with his family and legal team since he was held incommunicado at Kireka.

The magistrate read out the charge and ruled that the court would only conduct mentions of the case as it awaits committal to the High Court, which has jurisdiction to try terrorism offences.

“Our role is only to read the charge to you so that you understand why you are being remanded,” the magistrate told the legislator, before ordering his continued detention.

According to the prosecution, led by Assistant Director of Public Prosecutions Rachael Bikhole, Kivumbi, together with others still at large allegedly coordinated and carried out violent attacks between January 11 and January 17, 2026, in Kibibi Town Council and Gombe Town Council, both in Butambala District.

The state alleges that the acts were carried out for purposes of influencing government or intimidating the public or a section of the public and for political or economic aims, without due regard to the safety of others or property.

Prosecutors further claim that the attacks targeted Kibibi Police Station and the Butambala Electoral Commission tally centre, actions they say endangered national security and public safety.

“It is further alleged that the accused caused extensive damage along sections of the Butambala–Gomba road involving several motor vehicles, acts which directly resulted in the death of seven people,” the magistrate read from the charge sheet.

The deceased were named in court as Nagayi Sarah, Nabukenya Aisha, Nampereza Milly, Nakanjako Ruth, Nsamba Abdul Nulu, Miro Shafiq and Basalira Davis.

Asked whether he understood the allegations, Kivumbi responded in the affirmative but raised concerns about legal representation. He questioned the nature of the proceedings and sought clarification on why the case could not immediately proceed to trial.

“The charge before this court is terrorism,” the magistrate clarified.

He added that the matter would be mentioned at the magistrate’s court until the High Court is ready to take it on.

Kivumbi was arrested yesterday during a security operation in Butambala District and later transferred under heavy guard to court. Investigations are ongoing, with several suspects linked to the alleged attacks still at large.

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The Prison authorities have dismissed claims that embattled Dr Kizza Besigye is critically ill and revealed that reports suggesting his health is deteriorating are exaggerated and driven by political motives rather than medical facts.

An anonymous senior prison authority familiar with the matter told Eagle Online Dr Besigye recently suffered from diarrhoea and personally requested that his long-time private doctor handle his treatment, a request the prison accommodated without delay.

“He had diarrhoea, and after a week, he asked that his personal doctor attend to him. That was granted. There was nothing life-threatening about his condition,” the official said.

The official explained that prison procedures require inmates to register next of kin who handle medical and welfare decisions in case of illness. In Dr Besigye’s case, two of his sisters, both medical doctors, were officially registered for that role.

“In prison, you cannot just say, inform my wife, and for this case, Dr Besigye never registered Byanyima. Health matters are handled through the registered next of kin. Dr Besigye chose his two sisters, who are doctors, and they are the ones responsible for his care when needed,” the official said.

The prison authority said when Dr Besigye’s symptoms persisted on Sunday evening, he was escorted to his personal doctor for examination and treatment, after which he was returned to custody in stable condition. However, the official claimed information about the visit leaked, prompting Winnie Byanyima to intervene in a manner that violated prison regulations.

“There was a leakage of information. When Byanyima came, she broke prison rules. Visitors are not allowed to carry phones. She took a photo against the wishes of Dr Besigye and the attending doctor,” the official said.

The authority said even Dr Besigye himself objected to the photograph being taken, describing the move as unnecessary.

“He was not happy with that. This was not about medical urgency. It looked more like an attempt to create public drama out of a manageable situation,” the official added.

The Prison official further rejected claims that Dr Besigye is being held under harsh or life threatening conditions, saying he is accommodated in a monitored private cubicle within a shared cell.

“He has his own cubicle, a bed, private toilet facilities and access to a television. He is monitored on camera twenty four hours a day. There is no basis to claim his life is under threat,” the official said.

The authority insisted the matter was being misrepresented as a failure by the prison system, when in fact it started from disagreements within the family over who should speak on Besigye’s health.

“This is not about the denial of treatment. It is about internal family issues. The registered next of kin are his sisters. They are the ones authorized to take him food, handle medical engagement, and communicate officially,” the official said.

However, after the visit, Winnie Byanyima issued statements claiming her husband was seriously ill and had been denied proper medical attention. She described him as weak and in distress following the prison visit to his doctor.

“Dr Besigye is seriously ill and was taken to see his doctor late at night after his condition worsened,” she said in a statement.

She further claimed that when she saw him, his condition was alarming and required urgent attention.

“He was extremely weak, shaking, and in pain. I was deeply concerned about his health,” Byanyima said.

Prison authorities, however, maintain that Dr Besigye’s condition was stabilised, that medical protocols were followed, and that no emergency existed to justify the alarm raised publicly.

“Whenever his health is threatened, his doctor is involved first. That has always been respected. Claims that he was neglected are simply not true,” the official said.

The prison authority insisted that Dr Besigye is under proper medical supervision and that attempts to frame the matter as a crisis are misleading and politically driven.

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