Four women are vying for the Hoima City Woman Member of Parliament seat ahead of the January 15, 2026 General Election, with the incumbent, Ms Asinansi Nyakato, facing strong opposition from three challengers.
The candidates vying for the position are Ms Asinansi Nyakato, the incumbent, who recently crossed from the Forum for Democratic Change (FDC) to the People’s Front for Freedom (PFF), Princess Diana Jane Mugenyi, the National Resistance Movement (NRM) flag bearer, Ms Bridget Kiiza, representing the National Unity Platform (NUP), and Ms Sylvia Nalumaga Balyesiima, an Independent candidate. Hoima City currently has 73,163 registered voters across 164 polling stations, an increase from 62,018 voters recorded during the 2021 General Election.
The city comprises 16 wards and 146 cells, reflecting its growing urban population since it was officially elevated from a municipality to city status in 2020. Ms Nyakato is the first Opposition leader who, in 2021, became the first Woman MP for Hoima City, winning the seat with 18,137 votes after defeating three opponents. One of her former rivals, Ms Kiiza, who polled 1,246 votes and finished fourth in the previous election, has returned to challenge her once again, this time under a different political climate and an expanded electorate. As the incumbent seeks a second term, Ms Nyakato says her agenda this time, include lobbying for the establishment of the long-awaited Bunyoro Public University which she says its progress is slow since the government announced its establishment.
She says she will pressure the Ministry of Education and Sports to table the University Bill before Parliament. She has also pledged to advocate for the construction of a general hospital for Hoima City and the upgrading of Karongo Health Centre III and Buhanika Health Centre III to Health Centre IV status. Ms Nyakato says, patients from Hoima City heavily depend on Hoima Regional Referral Hospital, which serves patients from at least 11 districts in the sub-region and remains congested and says its main purpose is to serve referral patients only. ‘Parliament already resolved that Karongo and Buhanika health centres be elevated to division health centre IVs. What remains is follow-up with the Parliamentary Health Committee and the Ministry of Health to ensure implementation,’ Ms Nyakato says.
The incumbent has also promised to continue pressing government to address teachers’ salary disparities, following recent industrial action by teachers, and to intervene in the issue of high-interest loans charged to boda riders, which she says have negatively affected their livelihoods. However, Ms Nyakato faces strong competition from Princess Diana Jane Mugenyi, the NRM flag bearer, who says her advantage lies in representing the ruling party. Ms Mugenyi has pledged to protect government achievements and attract investors to the Albertine region, citing improved security and oil and gas development as key incentives. She also says the city faces critical infrastructure gaps, including limited access to electricity and piped water in peripheral areas, poor road conditions, and transportation challenges that hinder trade and business.
‘Some roads are impassable, electricity is missing in some areas, and water access remains a challenge. These issues must be urgently addressed,’ Ms Mugenyi says. On the other hand, Ms Kiiza (NUP) says unemployment among the youth remains a major concern in Hoima City. She criticised the lack of a general hospital for Hoima City, poor equipment in existing health facilities, and alleged misuse of public funds. Ms Kiiza also called for the decentralisation of oil sector recruitment to ensure local people benefit from oil-related jobs. Independent candidate, Ms Nalumaga, says her agenda is centred on women and youth empowerment, saying economic independence is key to reducing poverty and social inequality in the city.
Voters speak out
Many voters emphasise that their choice will not be based on political party affiliation alone, but on performance, visibility, and commitment to service delivery.
Ms Agnes Atuhaire, a resident cites the poor state of the road network, especially in the city’s fast-growing suburbs, as a major concern saying the next Woman MP should aggressively lobby government for proper waste disposal. ‘Garbage management is another pressing issue, over years we have complained about irregular waste collection, illegal dumping, and the resulting health risks. We want a leader who will push for improved solid waste management systems and adequate funding for Hoima City’s sanitation services,’ she says.
Background
Hoima Municipality was created in 2010 after being carved out of Bugahya County in Hoima District, one of the oldest districts in the country. In 2020, it was officially elevated to city status. Following the elevation of Hoima to municipal status in 2010, the first Member of Parliament was the former First Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Public Service, Mr Henry Muganwa Kajura, who served under the NRM ticket. In 2016, the municipality was represented by Dr Lawrence Bategeka, also an NRM flag bearer.