KAMPALA; Ronald Balimwezo has taken an early lead in the Kampala Lord Mayor race, pulling ahead of incumbent Erias Lukwago as preliminary results pour in from across the city. Notably, Balimwezo a former Nakawa East MP and National Unity Platform (NUP) candidate is dominating in traditional opposition strongholds like Kawempe, Makindye, and Central Division. Meanwhile, voter turnout remained unusually low compared to previous national elections, raising questions about public engagement in local governance.
In Kawempe North, a long-standing opposition zone, Balimwezo swept most polling stations that had released results by Thursday evening. For instance, at Mbogo Primary School split into 13 voting centres he won decisively in nearly all of them. At Muge Nabata, he secured 59 votes against Lukwago’s 39. Similarly, at Kigu-Lugo, Balimwezo earned 58 votes to Lukwago’s 31. The trend continued at Kamu-Kigo (68–41), Lug-Muga (49–35), and Nakat-Naluk (40–13). In fact, across more than a dozen centres, Balimwezo consistently outperformed his rival from the People’s Front for Freedom (PFF).
Large polling sites further reinforced his lead. At Yiga’s Parking Yard divided into seven stations Balimwezo amassed 363 votes, far surpassing Lukwago’s 108. At Mitchell Hall on Makerere University campus, he tallied 65 votes compared to Lukwago’s 16. These numbers suggest strong youth and urban support for the NUP candidate in a critical part of the city.
Moving to Makindye West, Balimwezo again dominated. At St Paul Church of Uganda in Katuuso, he won all five polling stations with vote counts of 41, 63, 61, 60, and 55 while Lukwago trailed with 14 to 20 votes per station. At Pantaleo Betty’s Place in Kabalagala, Balimwezo led 57–17. Even more striking, at Kawuku Trading Centre, he received 61 votes to Lukwago’s mere four. A similar margin appeared at Bunga Trading Centre (61–10), underscoring Balimwezo’s broad appeal in commercial and residential hubs.
Central Division also favored Balimwezo. At Shimon polling station, he led 73–23. At Radio Uganda, he pulled ahead with 100 votes against Lukwago’s 37. These results highlight his strength in both administrative and media-centric areas of the capital.
However, the ruling National Resistance Movement (NRM) candidate Moses Nsubuga showed resilience in select zones. At Fairway-Katonga, Nsubuga led the first centre with 75 votes, followed by Balimwezo (66) and Lukwago (26). In the second centre, Nsubuga again topped the tally with 174 votes, though Balimwezo stayed competitive with 160. Still, at Railway Park, Balimwezo maintained control across all three centres, scoring 75, 82, and 41 votes respectively well ahead of Lukwago’s totals.
Outside Kampala, the Kampala Lord Mayor race isn’t the only tight contest. In neighboring Wakiso District, the LC5 chairperson race remains neck and neck between NRM’s Ian Kyeyune and NUP’s Nasifu Najja, according to early returns. Yet within the capital, momentum clearly favors Balimwezo for now.
That said, official results are still pending. Vote counting continues across the city, with final declarations expected by the end of January 23, 2026. While Balimwezo’s current lead is significant, the low turnout could influence legitimacy debates regardless of the outcome. Nonetheless, his performance so far signals a potential shift in Kampala’s political landscape and a serious challenge to Lukwago’s decade long hold on the mayoral seat.
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