NUP's Sebuwufu Elected KCCA Speaker After Tight Council Vote

JohnMary Ssebuwufu has been elected Speaker of the Kampala Capital City Authority Council after defeating independent candidate Ali Kalule in a closely contested vote held at City Hall. Ssebuwufu won 18 votes against Kalule’s 16, with one ballot declared invalid, following a tense but orderly election process marked by an initial dispute over phone usage in the chamber.

JohnMary Sebuwufu has been elected Speaker of the Kampala Capital City Authority (KCCA) Council after narrowly defeating independent candidate Ali Kalule in a closely contested vote held at City Hall.

The election, presided over by Chief Magistrate Ritah Neumbe Kidasa, saw Sebuwufu secure 18 votes against Kalule’s 16, with one ballot declared invalid, sealing a tense but orderly contest for the council leadership seat.

Sebuwufu will replace party compatriot Zahara Luyirika, who has since scaled the border fences to Parliament as Makindye West legislator.

The sitting began with a brief standoff after the presiding magistrate instructed councillors to put away their phones during the voting process, a directive that sparked immediate pushback from some members of council, particularly those aligned to the National Unity Platform (NUP).

Nakawa II councillor Godfrey Luyombya objected to the instruction, saying, “In the digital age, you can’t tell people to put their phones away. It is improper and does not follow any legal procedure.”

Following the disagreement, councillors were instead directed to place their phones aside where they remained visible, a compromise that restored calm and allowed the process to proceed.

In a notable twist during nominations, Luyombya, who had previously lost in the NUP primaries, stood to nominate Sebuwufu, who eventually won the contest, before another opposition councillor seconded the nomination.

Both Sebuwufu and Kalule later appeared before the council to formally accept their nominations and present brief statements of interest.

Voting was conducted through a secret ballot, with councillors writing down their preferred candidates as they were called one by one.

During tallying, five ballots were initially flagged as invalid due to spelling errors and incomplete entries, including instances where only a single name was written.

However, after review of voter intention, four of the ballots were validated, leaving only one vote invalid.

Moments after the declaration, councillors affiliated with the National Unity Platform lifted Sebuwufu in celebration, describing the outcome as the beginning of a new phase for the council.

Sebuwufu had been granted bail on March 24, 2026, after being remanded to Luzira Prison on charges of inciting violence. He was later sworn in as Nakawa West Lord Councillor for the 2026–2031 term earlier this week.