Wapakhabulo’s daughter Sarah Watsemwa joins Mbale City Woman MP race

Mbale, (UG):- Ms Sarah Watsemwa, the daughter of the late renowned Ugandan politician James Wapakhabulo, has officially declared her bid to contest for Mbale City Woman Member of Parliament on the National Resistance Movement (NRM) ticket.

The Woman MP race in Mbale City is currently featuring six candidates, after the addition of Watsemwa.

With a master’s degree in public administration and a background as an assistant town clerk in Mbale City, Watsemwa plans to leverage both her late father’s influential networks and her own professional connections to secure a position in Parliament.

Having served as an enforcement official and later as assistant town clerk, Watsemwa’s experience in local government and her ability to mobilize the city’s traders will play a key role in her campaign strategy.

Speaking about her candidacy, Ms Watsemwa expressed her intent to build on the foundation laid by her father, whose legacy and relationships continue to resonate in the city.

“I will work with the networks my father created, as well as the connections I have built in my own career,” Watsemwa told DailyExpress in a special interview on Wednesday.

Highly contested seat

Mbale-based Political analyst, Mr Steven Masiga commented on the highly competitive but crowded nature of the race.
“The Woman MP race in Mbale is crowded but lacks a clear frontrunner at this point,” he said.

“The female vote is often the most unpredictable unlike male voters who may rally behind someone out of sympathy after multiple attempts, women are less likely to vote out of emotional attachment. In fact, a woman may even refuse to vote for another woman she shares a personal bond with,” Masiga added.

The renowned political analyst also highlighted the need for candidates to connect with both the city’s intellectual community and the working-class voters in areas like Namatala.

“Candidates must be able to speak the language of both the educated elite, impressing them with strong English, and the grassroots, who may need practical help, such as basic foodstuffs like malwa, waragi, and salt,” he said.

Mbale City, with its two divisions (Northern and Industrial), has a population of around 500,000, with over 200,000 registered voters across several wards.

A campaign agent, who requested anonymity for political reasons, shared that Watsemwa’s team is employing a grassroots approach.

“We are going door to door, activating our old networks and cells. The women’s groups my father worked with are the very ones I will rely on in my campaign,” said the agent.

Watsemwa is the daughter of the late James Wapakhabulo, who represented Mbale Municipality for many years and served as Uganda’s Speaker of Parliament and Foreign Minister, leaving behind a lasting political legacy.

She is determined to continue his work, building on the connections and trust he cultivated over the years.