By Leonard Kamugisha Akida,
KAMPALA
City businessman, Babi Kahemba Sperato has announced his bid to run for Kampala Central Division mayor in the 2026 elections.
He seeks to unseat Salim Uhuru Nsubuga, the incumbent mayor who was recently nominated unopposed by his party – NRM for a re-election.
Speaking to Parrots Media, Kahemba pledged to be an independent voice and servant leader for all city dwellers, positioning himself as a unifying figure in a city he described as “the nucleus of mixed tribes, dozens of political organizations, different religions and cultures”, and, most critically, “the super centre of the business community.”
“I therefore come as a bridge to unity and prosperity,” he said. “We want a city of sanity with emphasis on people-centred development. Mimi ni daraja ya Umoja ustawi, literally translating as the ladder of unity.”
Kahemba’s bid enters a crowded political landscape, but he is framing his candidacy as a fresh alternative to partisan politics, calling for justice, fairness, and economic empowerment of Kampala’s working class and informal sector.
Sharing his vision, Kahemba with the people of Kampala and strongly condemned the treatment of low-income earners by city authorities, specifically criticizing the arrests of street vendors and the boda boda community under current KCCA operations.
“Do not brutally ascend on streets, grab our mothers, young boys and girls, rush them to KCCA courts and dump them to Luzira. Why? Why really? Prison should be for criminals, not hustlers,” he stated.
His statement underscores a growing sentiment among Kampala’s informal workers that form a significant portion of the urban, many of whom feel marginalized by the city’s enforcement mechanisms.
Additionally , Kahemba outlined a strong focus on trade liberalization and inclusive economic policy, pledging to protect local traders from what he described as “unfair and unbalanced trading grounds” dominated by foreign investors.
“The business community are the lords of this city,” he said. “We must give them room to trade freely, fairly, and gainfully,” Kahemba stated.
In a notable policy proposal, Kahemba suggested integrating the executive committee of KACITA (Kampala City Traders Association) into an official special committee within the division administration to influence trade policy decisions.
He also emphasized the need to address unemployment, linking it directly to issues of insecurity and crime in the city.
On the environment and urban planning, Kahemba pledged renewed action on sanitation, drainage, and enforcing the Kaveera (plastic bag) ban.
“Then the roads, the water channels and drainage, we must effect the Kaveera ban,” he declared.
Kahemba’s use of street-level language and his appeal to “the common person” reflect a populist tone reminiscent of earlier campaigns in Kampal’s politics.
Kahemba is no stranger to Uganda’s political trenches. In his earlier years, he was a frontline youth mobilizer in the FDC and personal aide to Dr. Kizza Besigye, the four-time presidential candidate and leading opposition figure. He was also a coordinator for National Association of the Unemployed, a youth-led movement that coordinated high-profile demonstrations in Kampala calling attention to rising youth unemployment and state inactions.
Kahemba is a young entrepreneur, and proprietor of Kampala Pork Planet, a local restaurant that has gained popularity in the city.
As the city gears up for the 2026 general elections, Kahemba’s candidacy adds to the growing chorus of voices challenging the status quo and pushing for inclusive urban governance. His return to the political stage now appears to blend that activist spirit with a focus on local governance and economic justice.
He will be facing candidates from major parties like Salim Uhuru – incumbent (NRM), and candidates fronted by other political parties like FDC, National Unity Platform (NUP), Democratic Party (DP) among others.
