“the explosive politics of nakawa division with a web of alliances and rivalries”
By Deep State Desk
In 2021, National Unity Platform (NUP) principal Robert Kyagulanyi Ssentamu, also known as Bobi Wine, and some party leaders welcomed the appointment of Mutoni Shiko as Deputy Mayor of Nakawa Division by the newly elected Mayor, Paul Mugambe. Mutoni is the wife of celebrated musician-turned-politician Ali Bukeni, aka Nubian Lee, who was then in prison facing treason charges.
The plot thickened when TV10 Gano Mazima broke the news that Nubian Lee had directed his wife to focus on family over politics. Upon his release, Lee threw his hat into the ring, declaring his intention to challenge Mugambe for the Nakawa Division mayoral seat.
According to sources, Bobi Wine had discovered a clandestine move by Mugambe to take Lee’s wife to meet Gen. Salim Saleh, the coordinator of Operation Wealth Creation and President Museveni’s brother, in a bid to strike a deal. Highly placed sources at Bobi Wine’s Magere home revealed that the NUP leader summoned Lee and revealed the shocking information to him. In a meeting with Mutoni, she admitted that Mugambe had indeed told her about the planned meeting with Gen. Saleh, assuring her that it would be kept secret.
Following this revelation, Bobi Wine advised Mutoni not to attend the meeting, warning her that the State might use it against them and compromise their political support. Mutoni subsequently cut off communication with Mugambe, who thought she was planning to contest against him.
The matter was discussed by NUP’s top leadership, including David Lewis Rubongoya, Benjamin Katana, and Joel Ssenyonyi, who decided to sideline Mugambe and other Nakawa Division councilors allegedly involved in the deal with Gen. Saleh. Initially, Nubian Lee was hesitant to enter elective politics, but Bobi Wine eventually convinced him to contest for the mayoral seat, assuring him of full support.
In a surprising twist, the party leadership reportedly agreed to sacrifice Nakawa East legislator Ronald Balimwezo, Mugambe’s brother, by convincing him to contest against incumbent Kampala City Lord Mayor Ssalongo Erias Lukwago. Meanwhile, Bobi Wine’s ally Alex Waiswa Mufumbiro was fronted to contest for the Nakawa Division seat.
Sources close to Mugambe revealed that he has a good relationship with Gen. Saleh, who helped him establish a battery company, making him one of the wealthiest politicians in Nakawa. However, his opponents plan to use his personal life, including allegations of fathering children with married councilors, as a campaign issue.
As the investigation continued, it was established that although Bobi Wine is backing Nubian Lee, Mugambe and Luyombya remain popular on the ground. To counter this, it was agreed that Lee would campaign alongside Ssenyonyi and Mufumbiro as NUP flag bearers.
When contacted, Mugambe denied the allegations, claiming that his opponents were spreading misinformation to discredit him. However, Mufumbiro recently revealed that the party president has invested heavily in spying on President Museveni and his allies, which has yielded valuable information about State House operations.
