Service Delivery vs. Sickness/ Absenteeism. Why NUP Faces a Defining Choice in Kampala Woman MP
The race for Kampala Woman MP is fast becoming a referendum on what matters most in representation, service delivery or sympathy.
Incumbent MP Shamim Malende, who has spent long periods away from Parliament undergoing medical treatment, made a surprise return in July 2025, just as KCCA Speaker Zahra Luyirika declared her intention to contest for the same seat.
While Malende’s resilience is commendable, the timing of her comeback has fueled debate inside the National Unity Platform (NUP) about whether the party should prioritize loyalty to its members or effective service to the people of Kampala.
Critics point out that Malende’s prolonged absences left constituents without consistent on ground representation.
Key parliamentary debates and community issues went unattended, drawing comparisons with absenteeism that undermines service delivery.
In a city where citizens grapple daily with poor waste management, unemployment, and rising living costs, an MP’s presence and responsiveness matter as much as their legal activism.
On the other hand, Zahra Luyirika has remained firmly present in her role as KCCA Speaker. She has presided over critical council sessions on budgets, markets, roads, and garbage management work that directly impacts Kampala residents.
Unlike Malende, Luyirika’s record is built on continuity and practical outcomes, not interrupted visibility.
The late Hon. Muhammad Ssegirinya’s example offers a stark contrast. Despite arrests and severe illness, he sustained visible outreach delivering food, medical support, scholarships to children through partnership with schools and business assistance to his constituents through networks he set up. His legacy shows that even under personal trials, an MP can remain rooted in service.
For NUP, this race is bigger than personalities. If the party truly values service delivery, it cannot afford to return a candidate whose parliamentary tenure has been defined by absence.
The people of Kampala deserve more than occasional appearances they deserve an MP consistently present and delivering solutions.
In this contest, Zahra Luyirika’s service record at City Hall positions her as the credible choice for Kampala Woman MP, raising the pressing question, will NUP choose sympathy for sickness, or accountability through service delivery?
