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Former Makerere University Guild President Julius Katerega has been cleared by the Electoral Commission to run as an independent candidate for Lord Councillor, representing Makerere University.
Katerega, widely known as “KJ” from his student leadership days, enters the race without the backing of the National Unity Platform (NUP).
The party again denied him endorsement, just as it did in 2021 when it picked Bashir Kazibwe as flagbearer for the Kawempe South parliamentary seat.
Despite this, Katerega stayed active in politics.
His Makerere reputation helped him secure a seat on the Kampala Capital City Authority (KCCA) council as an independent.
His latest move has reignited criticism of NUP’s Electoral Management Committee, with calls on social media for more transparent primaries ahead of the 2030 elections.
Katerega’s campaign, however, faces challenges.
He is battling bribery allegations linked to the Nakivubo drainage channel project, where he and other councillors are accused of clearing businessman Hamis Kiggundu’s developments.
He has firmly denied the claims.
Some critics label him a weak leader who neglects his constituents.
Yet his supporters argue that his resilience shows he can withstand exclusion and still remain relevant in Kampala politics.
He now seeks to win the confidence of Makerere students and alumni in the tight race for council.
Meanwhile, Shamim Nambassa, also a former Guild President, secured the NUP flag for Woman Councillor LC5, Kawempe South.
Nambassa, a pharmacist from Butambala, is the daughter of the late Mugalula Abdul and Twerebe Media.
She attended Parental Care School, later joining Nabisunsa Girls’ Secondary School for O- and A-levels, where she became head prefect in 2017.
She graduated with a Bachelor of Pharmacy from Makerere University.
At the university, she represented the School of Health Sciences in the Guild Council, served as Guild Academic Affairs Minister in 2021, and was Guild President from 2021 to 2022.