Politics 11 May 2026 Daily Monitor (Uganda)
Lukwago Departs City Hall After 15 Tumultuous Years as Lord Mayor
Erias Lukwago has officially handed over the reins of Kampala's Lord Mayoralty to his successor, Ronald Balimwezo, concluding a 15-year period marked by significant political conflict and governance challenges. Source: https://www.monitor.co.ug/uganda/news/national/lukwago-hands-over-to-balimwezo-after-turbulent-15-year-reign-at-city-hall-5455380
After a decade and a half at the helm of Kampala’s City Hall, Erias Lukwago has formally transferred his mayoral duties to Ronald Balimwezo. Lukwago’s tenure, spanning from 2011 to 2026, was characterized by persistent political battles, power struggles within the city’s governance structures, and disputes over the administration of Uganda’s capital.
In an emotional farewell address, Lukwago reflected on his leadership, describing it as difficult but guided by principle. He emphasized his administration’s commitment to safeguarding the interests of Kampala’s residents amidst numerous obstacles. He highlighted six core pillars that directed his work: corporate governance, accountability, social justice, sound budgeting, urban planning, and promoting Kampala as a center for investment and tourism.
Lukwago, who entered City Hall politics as the Kampala Central MP in 2006 before becoming the first Lord Mayor under the Kampala Capital City Authority (KCCA) framework in 2011, stated that his term was likely the most challenging in the city’s leadership history. He attributed many of these difficulties to the KCCA Act, which he argued created overlapping responsibilities and weakened the authority of elected officials due to what he described as excessive intervention from the central government and the President.
Throughout his time in office, Lukwago engaged in high-profile political and legal disputes, including clashes with KCCA executive directors and disagreements concerning market management, urban development, and service provision. Despite these confrontations, he defended his legacy by asserting that his administration actively protected public assets, such as markets and wetlands, from being seized by “elite cartels.”
Lukwago pointed to corruption, poor urban planning, flooding, and insufficient funding as significant impediments to transforming Kampala into a modern city. He outlined several key priorities for the incoming administration: amending the KCCA Act, refining the city’s governance structure, rebuilding roads and drainage systems, upgrading health facilities, expanding street lighting, and fostering Kampala’s development as a commercial hub with a lakefront.
He urged the central government to increase financial allocations to Kampala, stressing the capital’s economic importance and its current underfunding. Lukwago maintained that bold reforms are necessary to make Kampala a well-functioning, resilient, and inclusive city.
Balimwezo steps into the role as Kampala continues to confront issues like rapid urbanization, traffic congestion, flooding, waste management challenges, and enduring governance conflicts. The new Lord Mayor will face pressure to enhance service delivery while navigating the complex administrative landscape established by the KCCA Act.