Kampala Lord Mayor addresses NUP internal rifts and SGR support

Kampala Lord Mayor Ronald Nsubuga Balimwezo has addressed internal tensions within the National Unity Platform (NUP) and pledged support for the Standard Gauge Railway (SGR) project.

Regarding NUP, Balimwezo criticized the conduct of party foot soldiers and bloggers, stating he had previously warned leadership about their unruly behavior. He noted that MPs are increasingly being targeted, abused, and threatened on social media for holding divergent views. Balimwezo attributed the current friction to a lack of discipline and a failure by party leadership to regulate the grassroots base.

On infrastructure, Balimwezo committed the Kampala Capital City Authority (KCCA) to supporting the implementation of the SGR project. The KCCA will assist with community mobilization, land acquisition, and facilitating compensation for project-affected persons. The project aims to reduce road pressure in Kampala by shifting freight from trucks to rail, potentially cutting container transport costs between Mombasa and Kampala by half.