For years, Kalangala was increasingly being portrayed by the opposition as fertile ground for the National Unity Platform (NUP), with the party banking on the popularity of the late Woman MP Hellen Nakimuli to tighten its grip on the island district.
But Wednesday’s by-election told a different story.
The National Resistance Movement (NRM) mounted a meticulously planned political offensive that not only reclaimed the seat but also exposed the fragility of the opposition’s hold on the district.
When Returning Officer Ronald Agaba declared NRM’s Idah Nabayiga winner shortly before 2am on Thursday, jubilant supporters clad in yellow erupted in celebration. Nabayiga had polled 12,642 votes against NUP’s Irene Nampala’s 7,474, securing a commanding lead of more than 5,000 votes.
To the ruling party, the victory was not merely about winning a parliamentary seat; it was a statement that Kalangala remains within the NRM’s political orbit despite recent opposition inroads.
NRM’s mobilisation machine
The by-election, occasioned by the death of former district Woman MP Hellen Nakimuli, was treated as a strategic battle by the NRM leadership.
At the centre of the campaign was NRM Deputy Secretary General Rose Namayanja Nsereko, who pitched camp in Kalangala for weeks, coordinating mobilisation activities and reviving dormant party structures.
Namayanja traversed the islands, meeting women’s groups, youth leaders, religious figures and local opinion leaders, urging them to rally behind the ruling party candidate.
She was joined by Acting State Minister for Foreign Affairs and NRM Central Region vice-chairperson Haruna Kasolo Kyeyune, who led mobilisation drives across the fishing communities and landing sites.
NRM Electoral Commission commissioner James Williams Kinobe coordinated campaign logistics and supervised party agents, while Director of Information and Publicity Emmanuel Dombo shaped the campaign narrative, presenting the election as a choice between stability under the NRM and uncertainty under the opposition.
As polling day approached, more senior figures descended on the district. NRM Director for Mobilisation Rosemary Sseninde joined the campaign trail, while NRM Electoral Commission chairman Tanga Odoi coordinated voter protection strategies.
Political analysts say one of the NRM’s biggest strengths was the calibre of leaders it deployed. Most of the officials sent to Kalangala are seasoned politicians with decades of electoral experience, having served in Parliament, Cabinet and senior party structures.
Their organisational skills and experience in grassroots mobilisation proved decisive.
Museveni’s final push
The campaign climaxed with President Yoweri Museveni’s rally in Kalangala.
The President promised to improve transport services, support the fishing industry and address service delivery challenges affecting island communities.
His visit injected fresh energy into the campaign and galvanised supporters, many of whom viewed the pledges as a sign of renewed government attention to the district.
NUP loses momentum
By contrast, the opposition struggled to mount a coherent challenge.
Some candidates maintained a low profile and key opposition figures were largely absent from the campaign trail. The opposition also failed to project a united front, with some candidates skipping major campaign events, including the televised debate.
The by-election exposed what political observers described as an overreliance on the popularity of the late Nakimuli rather than building durable grassroots structures.
The result ultimately demonstrated that while NUP may command enthusiasm in certain pockets of the country, matching the NRM’s elaborate mobilisation machinery remains a daunting task.
For the ruling party, the Kalangala victory was proof that its organisational muscle remains intact. For the opposition, it was a sobering reminder that electoral success requires more than popularity—it demands structures, experienced mobilisers and a sustained presence on the ground.
By dawn on Thursday, Kalangala had once again turned yellow.
