Harold Kaija Declares Bid for Nansana Municipality MP Seat

Renowned political activist and two-time Kampala Central parliamentary contender Harold Kaija has announced his candidacy for the Nansana Municipality MP seat in the 2026 elections.

Kaija, who previously contested in 2016 and 2021, lost both times to Muhammad Nsereko, an NRM-leaning independent. 

In an interview with Uganda Radio Network (URN), Kaija, a staunch supporter of Dr. Kizza Besigye, said he was responding to calls from Nansana residents to represent them in Parliament.

Kaija described elections in Kampala Central as a “mafia race” where winning requires striking a deal with Summit View polling centres, which generate more than 5,000 votes primarily from security personnel stationed at Nakasero State Lodge and other agencies.

“To win Kampala Central MP, you need to strike a deal with Summit View polling centres, which are basically for state house security personnel. A person like me, I cannot compromise my principles, and that means I cannot win against someone who starts with nearly 10,000 votes,” Kaija stated.

Kaija previously ran on the Forum for Democratic Change (FDC) ticket. However, he noted that the party has since split due to alleged funding from the NRM regime ahead of the 2021 elections. He is hopeful that by the October 2025 nominations, the Electoral Commission (EC) will have gazetted the People’s Front for Freedom (PFF)—a political platform spearheaded by Dr. Besigye—as a party, allowing him to contest under its banner.

The Nansana Municipality MP seat is currently held by Wakayima Musoke on the National Unity Platform (NUP) ticket. The 2026 race is expected to be competitive, with challengers such as journalist Blasio Zambaali Mukasa, musician Ibrahim Mayanja alias Big Eye, and NUP mobilizer John Bosco Sserunkuma, also known as Kaana Kambaata, expressing interest.

Kaija alleged that Kampala Central has many pseudo voters who only appear on election day. He cited examples of polling stations like Dewinton and Crested Towers, where he rarely sees voters but significant numbers are reported during vote tallying.

“When you walk around Crested Towers, you do not see people there, but you hear someone won you with 500 votes. At Dewinton, you see no people there, yet you hear someone got 600 votes. Kampala is where you can hold a meeting and be assured of votes, but the people actually stay in Mukono and Wakiso. You can spend a whole day without meeting an actual voter,” Kaija said.

Kaija believes that Nansana voters are different, as they are less financially demanding compared to those in Kampala. He argued that in Kampala, every political meeting requires at least one million shillings to cater to attendees. However, his consultations in Nansana give him confidence that he will secure victory in 2026.