Lukaba Swalik: The Man On A Mission To Reset Bugweri Politics

When Lukaba Swalik stood before supporters and the media after receiving his official nomination as an NRM hopeful for LC5 Chairperson in Bugweri District, he didn’t start with fanfare or attack his rivals. Instead, he set a tone that was unexpectedly sober.

“I urge my counterparts to engage in mature politics because many have started using malice and blackmail,” he said calmly, with a steady gaze.
It was a defining moment for a candidate who now finds himself at the centre of Bugweri’s political attention.

In a district where past elections have been characterised by tension, smear campaigns, and at times violence, Swalik is positioning himself not only as a front-runner, but also as a reformer someone determined to change both the tone and the substance of local leadership.

The Issues That Matter

Swalik’s message goes beyond political civility. He is also anchoring his campaign on the district’s long-neglected development needs. In his own words:
“My constituency has many challenges, and I want to be the solution for my people. We lack clean water, have poor health services, struggling schools, and unresolved land disputes.”

Rather than offering blanket promises, Swalik has named the issues plainly echoing frustrations shared daily by residents from Buseesa to Ibulanku. These are not abstract policy topics. They are urgent matters affecting the lives of families: parents walking long distances for water, overcrowded clinics without medicine, schoolchildren sharing tattered books, and land disputes tearing communities apart.

Swalik says he intends to work with the government to ensure Bugweri gets its fair share of resources and that those resources are well-managed.
“I pledge to work with government to ensure that the people of Bugweri District can access, properly utilise and benefit from the available public wealth.”
It’s a promise that resonates in a region where many feel left behind by national progress.

Unity Over Partisan Lines

In addition to his development agenda, Swalik is taking an unusually inclusive stance in a race dominated by party loyalties and factional rivalries. He has pledged to work with all elected leaders regardless of their political background.

“I promise to work with all the elected leaders irrespective of their political affiliations and beliefs so that the people of Bugweri can get the best service from us.”

That line alone distinguishes him from many of his rivals. Political watchers say this tone of unity may prove appealing to independents, opposition sympathisers, and NRM voters alike particularly those tired of partisan gridlock that slows down service delivery.

His approach reflects a growing sentiment among Ugandan voters: development should not wear party colours.

A Violence free election

Swalik is also addressing a more uncomfortable truth Bugweri’s history of election-related violence. In a candid moment, he acknowledged what many leaders often avoid.

“We have gangs in the past elections that caused harm to many people. This time, I call upon all people of Bugweri District to remain calm.”

It was a reminder of the scars left by political thuggery in previous contests scars that many residents still carry. Swalik’s calm yet firm warning appears designed to de-escalate tensions before they escalate again.

For him, peace isn’t just a campaign line it’s a precondition for everything else he hopes to achieve.
Respecting the Rules That Hold Parties Together

Even within his own party, Swalik is staking his claim as a candidate of order and discipline. As the NRM heads into its primaries, he has publicly committed to respect the party’s structures and rules.
“As we head into the party primaries for Bugweri District, I pledge to respect and abide by the guidelines and regulations of the NRM party.”

In a political environment where many aspirants challenge internal processes or bypass them altogether, Swalik’s stance signals institutional respect. Party insiders say such discipline is critical to maintaining unity especially in hotly contested districts like Bugweri.

The Bigger Picture

Swalik is not the loudest voice in Bugweri’s race. But his message is resonating quietly with women struggling to access maternal care, youth yearning for education, and elders worried about land rights.

He is campaigning without spectacle, but with structure. Without insults, but with intention.
As Bugweri prepares for what could be a defining election cycle, Lukaba Swalik is emerging not just as a candidate but as a symbol of the kind of politics many Ugandans now say they want: humble, honest, and helpful.

Whether that message converts into votes at the ballot box remains to be seen. But one thing is certain: Swalik has entered the race not to compete in the same old way, but to change the game entirely.