KAMPALA UGANDA, 24 January 2026— In a move that signals the end of a 15-year era at City Hall, Erias Lukwago has officially conceded defeat in the 2026 Kampala Lord Mayorship race.
In a signed statement dated January 24, 2026, the outgoing Lord Mayor for Kampala City acknowledged the outcome of the January 22nd polls, which saw National Unity Platform (NUP) candidate Ronald Nsubuga Balimwezo declared the winner in the race that attracted 8 candidates.
Despite pointing to “flaws that have marred this process,” Lukwago struck a tone of personal victory regarding his tenure. He described his departure from the Lord Mayor’s Parlour as one filled with “pride and elation,” asserting that he leaves with a “clean sheet” in a political climate he characterized as “bedeviled by political indecency.”
Lukwago who heads the new People’s Front for Freedom (PFF) highlighted several pillars of his stewardship, including:
Asset Protection: Claiming to have acted as a “spear and shield” against cartels and “mafias” targeting city assets.
Integrity: Maintaining what he called an “impeccable and unassailable” track record.
Pro-Poor Advocacy: Living up to the “billing” of the urban poor and indigents who sought justice and protection.
While Lukwago wished the “newly constituted leadership” led by Eng. Balimwezo the best of luck, he made it clear that his political journey is far from over. He announced a pivot toward a broader national movement, stating that his energy will now focus on:
Social Justice: Continuing the fight for the rule of law.
Political Transition: Advocating for a “non-violent transition” from what he described as “family and gun rule” to a constitutional order.
”I will eternally treasure the strong social bond, trust, and love that I have shared with the People of Kampala… my energy and resources will remain focused on the protracted struggle for social justice.”
“Going forward, my energy and resources will remain focused on the protracted struggle for social justice, rule of law, and non-violent transition from a family and gun rule to a constitutional and political order or dispensation that guarantees the soverignity of the people” he stated before signing out.
The Electoral Commission declared Balimwezo the winner on Friday with 141,220 votes. Lukwago, running under the People’s Front for Freedom (PFF) banner, came in third with 41,915 votes, trailing behind NRM’s Moses Kizito Nsubuga.
Democratic Party (DP) candidate Beatrice Mao got 2,162 followed by Forum for Democratic Change (FDC) candidate Ibrahim Kasozi (1,426), Nabilah Nagayi Ssempala (1854), Eddie Kibalama (188) while Jotham Yamurebire trailed with 119 votes.
The transition marks a significant shift in Kampala’s local government, as Balimwezo—the outgoing Nakawa East MP—takes the reins of a city Lukwago has led since 2011.
