Can’t Give Up! Salongo Fred Kalema Pax Declares Independent Candidacy For Bukoto East

By Our Reporter 

Political tensions in Bukoto East Constituency have intensified following the dramatic declaration by Salongo Fred Kalema Pax to contest as an independent candidate in the 2026 General Elections, after what he described as a “brazenly compromised” National Resistance Movement (NRM) primary process.

Kalema, who had initially secured the NRM flag for the constituency, was controversially defeated by Hon. Sarah Babirye Kityo in party primaries dogged by accusations of systemic malpractice — ranging from voter bribery and intimidation to result falsification and alteration of declaration forms. The development has ignited a wave of discontent among sections of Bukoto East’s electorate, many of whom Kalema claims have urged him to “salvage the constituency’s democratic will” by running independently. His chosen electoral symbol, pending clearance from the Electoral Commission, is the clock.

Suuna Mark, NRM Chairperson and General Secretary of Buwunga Subcounty, lauded the steadfastness of voters who backed Kalema, castigating what he termed a “stolen mandate.” He accused state security operatives of engaging in arbitrary arrests and coercion to tilt the outcome, while praising Kalema’s grassroots mobilisation for both President Yoweri Museveni and the NRM in past campaigns.

In a pointed rebuke, Kalema alleged that Assistant Resident District Commissioner (RDC) Sarah Nankyanzi spearheaded the detention of hundreds of his supporters, including 44 of his polling agents, while orchestrating threats against others. He further accused police authorities — notably Lambu OC Kayabula Collins — of unlawfully transferring vote tallying to Bukakata Seed School, an unrecognised counting centre, in place of the official Bukakata Subcounty venue.

Despite lodging a formal complaint with the NRM Elections Tribunal, constituted under the directive of President Museveni, Kalema expressed disappointment at what he described as a “sanitised” ruling that absolved Kityo of any involvement and dismissed his claims of agent deployment. The Electoral Commission, he added, compounded matters by allegedly withholding declaration forms needed to verify results.

Kalema criticised the silence of President Museveni and senior party officials over what he termed “electoral impunity,” warning that unresolved grievances could erode the NRM’s political stronghold in Masaka and beyond. Declaring a boycott of future NRM primaries until structural reforms are enacted, he pledged to channel his energies toward his independent bid while scaling back active mobilisation for the ruling party. Nonetheless, he reaffirmed his dedication to advancing community development projects, including rural electrification and other social services.

He went further to accuse RDC Nankyanzi of politicising her office, undermining the President’s support base in Masaka, and exploiting state authority for personal land acquisitions — even encroaching on National Forestry Authority property. Kalema demanded swift investigations into these allegations.

In a show of cross-party backing, Segawa Spino — a prominent former National Unity Platform (NUP) member who defected to the NRM — endorsed Kalema’s candidature, vowing to rally support across all villages in the constituency. Spino also called on President Museveni to urgently address flaws in the NRM’s electoral processes to avert defections to opposition ranks.

Kalema’s announcement, delivered at a well-attended press briefing at his Mikoni home in Buwunga Subcounty, marks a pivotal shift in the political dynamics of Bukoto East. As the 2026 general elections draw nearer, his defection from the NRM ticket is poised to become a focal point in the constituency’s high-stakes political contest.