Forum for Democratic Change’s Erias Lukwago will be the Kampala Lord Mayor for the next five years after being declared winner by Electoral Commission (EC) returning officer for Kampala Barbra Mulimira.
Lukwago’s City Hall job was under ‘threat’ from 11 other contesters that vied to take up the position. However, he has overcome the threat following yesterday’s election as he gathered a total of 194,592 votes.
He beat competition from NUP’s Nabillah Nagayi who gathered 60082 votes, NRM’s Daniel Kazibwe gathered 23388 votes and independent candidate Joseph Mayanja alias Jose Chameleone came fourth with 12212 votes.
Lukwago will now extend his reign over the capital city to his third term.
“What a historic moment! Praise be to the Almighty. Thank you Kampala! The Statement is unequivocally loud and clear; OMULOODI WAALI. Our love is etched in stone. Asante sana. Mungu awabarik,” Lukwago said on Wednesday night.
Since 1998, Lukwago has worked as the managing partner in the offices of Lukwago and Co. Advocates, a Kampala law firm that specializes in constitutional law and human rights law. In 2005, he was elected to Parliament, on the Democratic Party ticket, representing the Central Kampala Constituency. While in parliament, he served on the Legal and Parliamentary Affairs Committee and on the Local Government Accounts Committee. He resigned from Parliament in 2011 and was elected Lord Mayor of the City of Kampala. Lukwago has in the past served as national legal adviser to the Democratic Party in Uganda, and as Shadow Minister for Justice and Constitutional Affairs. On May 20, 2011, Lukwago was sworn in as Lord Mayor of Kampala a position he holds up to now.