Mulinde Sworn In as Kimanya-Kabonera Mayor Amid Calls for Unity, Development and Grassroots Mobilisation

SPECIAL REPORT | By Brian Mugenyi

mugenyijj@gmail.com

A mood of celebration and optimism filled Kimanya-Kabonera Division as Moses Mulinde officially took oath as Mayor before Chief Magistrate Albert Asiimwe, with leaders describing the occasion as an important milestone for local leadership and service delivery in Masaka City.

The colourful ceremony attracted political leaders, local residents, youth groups, religious leaders and National Resistance Movement (NRM) supporters, including Masaka City Woman Member of Parliament Justine Nameere and Masaka City Resident City Commissioner Ahmed Washaki.

Supporters praised Mulinde as a youthful and energetic leader whose mobilisation efforts and community engagement helped strengthen the NRM’s visibility in Kimanya-Kabonera Division during the January 15, 2026 general elections supervised by Simon Mugenyi Byabakama.

Throughout the ceremony, speakers emphasised the importance of unity, peaceful political participation and development-focused leadership as key pillars for the continued growth of Masaka City.

Hon. Justine Nameere was commended by party supporters and local mobilisers for her active role during the campaigns, where she reportedly encouraged cooperation among leaders and urged residents to support programmes aimed at improving livelihoods and strengthening local governance.

Political observers noted that her mobilisation efforts helped energise party structures and create closer engagement between local leaders and residents at the grassroots.

Masaka City NRM chairman Rogers Bulegeya described Mulinde’s victory as a reflection of teamwork, organisation and continuous interaction with communities.

“We focused on mobilisation, listening to people and strengthening our grassroots structures,” Bulegeya said during the celebrations. “The support we received from leaders and residents encouraged us to remain united and focused on development.”

According to official election figures, President Yoweri Kaguta Museveni improved his support in Masaka City from 22 percent in the 2021 elections to 33 percent in the 2026 polls.

Local leaders attributed the improvement to increased grassroots engagement, mobilisation campaigns and continued government programmes targeting household incomes and youth empowerment.

The political momentum was also witnessed during President Museveni’s December 22, 2025 rally at Liberation Square in Masaka City, which attracted thousands of supporters and local leaders from different divisions of the city.

Beyond politics, Mulinde’s leadership was praised for supporting community empowerment initiatives, especially efforts to influence the distribution of coffee seedlings among farmers in Gayaza, Kimanya, Kirimya and Kasijjagirwa.

Residents and local farmers described the initiative as an important contribution towards improving household incomes and encouraging commercial agriculture among urban and peri-urban communities.

“Coffee growing is increasingly becoming a source of hope for many families,” one farmer from Kasijjagirwa said. “When leaders encourage such programmes, they help communities think beyond survival towards long-term development.”

Leaders at the ceremony said government wealth creation programmes championed by President Museveni continue to inspire communities to embrace agriculture, savings and self-reliance as tools for economic transformation.

Masaka City RCC Ahmed Washaki urged residents to maintain peace, unity and cooperation with local leaders in order to strengthen development programmes and improve service delivery across the city divisions.

He described Mulinde as a vibrant mobiliser with the potential to bridge leadership and community interests through inclusive engagement and support for government initiatives.

As celebrations continued after the swearing-in ceremony, leaders also appreciated the support rendered to grassroots mobilisation structures by Barbara Nekesa Oundo during the election period.

For many residents who attended the ceremony, Mulinde’s swearing-in symbolised not only political transition but also renewed hope for leadership rooted in unity, community empowerment and development-oriented governance in Masaka City.

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