Mukono Municipality Member of Parliament Betty Nambooze Bakireke has vowed to dedicate her next parliamentary term to fighting what she described as President Yoweri Museveni’s attempts to entrench a political dynasty in Uganda.
Speaking shortly after her nomination at the Mukono District Returning Centre on Wednesday, Nambooze said her re-election bid is anchored on safeguarding constitutionalism and ensuring a peaceful political transition in Uganda.
“Hoping that Kyagulanyi wins, I will be one of the major actors in the new government. We have lined up 11 priority areas that require policy and legal reforms,” she said.
“But in the unlikely event that Kyagulanyi loses, my next term will be dedicated to fighting Museveni’s schemes to change the constitution and create a political dynasty. The legislation coming now is meant to legalize a presidential monarchy—and that’s what we are going to fight.”
Nambooze, a senior figure in the opposition National Unity Platform (NUP), emphasized that Uganda must prepare for a leadership transition and that Parliament should play a central role in ensuring democratic governance.
She appealed to journalists and the public to understand the constitutional role of Members of Parliament, stressing that MPs are national—not local—leaders.
“A Member of Parliament is a national leader. My job is not to sweep streets or collect garbage—that is the responsibility of local leaders,” she said.
“As an MP, my role is to ensure Mukono Municipality gets its fair share of the national budget and that there is value for money in government projects.”
Citing Article 79 of the Constitution, Nambooze outlined her mandate as a legislator to promote democracy, constitutionalism, and effective oversight of government programs.
She also highlighted her past achievements, including transforming Mukono Dispensary into Mukono General Hospital and influencing the tarmacking of major roads such as Seeta–Namugongo Road, after lobbying Parliament to reallocate funds from maintenance to full road construction.
“During Bakaluba’s time, what is now Mukono General Hospital was just a dispensary. And the Seeta–Namugongo road used to be a murram road until I convinced Parliament that spending three billion shillings annually on maintenance made no sense,” Nambooze explained.
While she acknowledged her personal community initiatives—such as running an ambulance service and supporting over 374 students through bursaries—she insisted that these are complementary, not core, functions of an MP.
“I’ve run a successful ambulance service for Mukono for 15 years, something even government has failed to do. But my greatest satisfaction is that I have helped shape policies that benefit the whole country,” she said.
“We must not reduce parliamentary service to small handouts and token gestures. MPs should focus on policy change and national development.”
Nambooze called upon Ugandans to elect leaders who understand governance and can defend democratic principles, promising that her next term will focus on strengthening institutions, promoting accountability, and resisting efforts to alter the constitution for personal gain.
ENDS
