By KT Reporter
Former Mukono District Chairperson Francis Lukooya Mukoome has returned to active politics, seeking to reclaim the LC5 seat he held between 2006 and 2016. Lukooya, now the NRM flag bearer, was among the first candidates nominated as the Electoral Commission kicked off district-level nominations for local government elections in Mukono.
His comeback follows unsuccessful parliamentary bids in Nakifuma County and Mukono South. But Lukooya says his renewed campaign is focused on reviving programs that he claims collapsed over the past decade. “We were the first district in Uganda to buy a grader and a borehole drilling rig, but those initiatives have since been neglected. Today, Mukono’s water coverage is below 30 percent. My agenda is to revamp what we started, especially in service delivery and youth employment,” Lukooya told journalists shortly after his nomination.
At the center of his campaign is youth empowerment. He promised to revive Mukono’s pioneer call center project, which was launched during his tenure to create jobs but has since been reduced to an internet café. “If we have functional call centers, our youth won’t need to flood Arab countries for jobs. They can earn dollars right here,” he said.
Lukooya also pledged to reintroduce garbage recycling programs and strengthen supervision of Mukono Municipality, which he said is struggling with dusty roads, poor lighting, and unmanaged waste. Education and vocational training are another focus of his campaign. He committed to promoting community-based training through partnerships with workshops and garages, with certification provided by national trade testing bodies.
Other contenders expected in the race include Rauben Ssenyonjo, the former district male youth chairperson running as an Independent, and Johnson Muyanja Ssenyonga, the former Mukono South MP, who is contesting on the NUP ticket. Their nominations will set the stage for a highly competitive election.
Mark Muganzi Mayanja, the Mukono District Returning Officer, said the nomination process has been smooth so far. “We’ve successfully handled all candidates who presented themselves. Where there were minor errors in forms, they were corrected on site. By midday, about 40 candidates for various positions had been nominated,” Mayanja said.
Nominations for district chairpersons and councillors will run until Friday, September 5, before moving to municipalities and later sub-counties. Among those nominated was Juliet Nassuuna, the newly elected National Vice Chairperson of the NRM Women’s League, who is seeking to represent Nakisunga Sub-County as district councillor.
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