{"id":117863,"date":"2025-12-22T16:25:13","date_gmt":"2025-12-22T16:25:13","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.africa-press.net\/uganda\/all-news\/nups-idd-ssemata-withdraws-from-mawogola-north-race"},"modified":"2025-12-22T16:45:46","modified_gmt":"2025-12-22T16:45:46","slug":"nups-idd-ssemata-withdraws-from-mawogola-north-race","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.africa-press.net\/uganda\/all-news\/nups-idd-ssemata-withdraws-from-mawogola-north-race","title":{"rendered":"Nup’S Idd Ssemata Withdraws from Mawogola North Race"},"content":{"rendered":"

Africa-Press – Uganda. <\/strong><\/span>The National Unity Platform (NUP) flag bearer for the Mawogola North parliamentary seat, Idd Ssemata, has officially withdrawn from the race, citing financial constraints, violence and intimidation during the campaign period.<\/b><\/p>\n

Ssemata, who was cleared by the Electoral Commission on 22 October 2025, had been contesting against Sodo Aine Kaguta of the National Resistance Movement (NRM), John Jet Tumwebaze (Independent), and Angela Kigonya of the Democratic Party (DP).<\/p>\n

Speaking during a press briefing in Sembabule District, Ssemata said his decision followed what he described as \u201cdeep reflection\u201d on the realities surrounding his campaign.<\/p>\n

\u201cI have been forced to withdraw because I no longer have the financial capacity to sustain this campaign,\u201d Ssemata said. \u201cPolitics in Sembabule has been commercialised, and without money, it becomes extremely difficult to compete.\u201d<\/p>\n

He further alleged that his campaign was marred by violence and intimidation, which he said put the lives of his supporters at risk.<\/p>\n

\u201cSeveral of my supporters were attacked, and some are still nursing injuries in hospital after being beaten by people we could not identify during our campaign activities in Lwetale village, Mitima Sub-county,\u201d he said. \u201cI was also beaten. The level of intimidation frightened many supporters, and I could not continue putting people\u2019s lives at risk.\u201d<\/p>\n

Despite withdrawing, Ssemata said his campaign had succeeded in awakening political consciousness among voters in Mawogola North.<\/p>\n

\u201cI believe I have awakened the people of Mawogola North and shown them that everything is possible and that we can change the leadership of this country,\u201d he added.<\/p>\n

Throughout his campaign, Ssemata traversed villages conducting door-to-door mobilization, preaching a message of change and assuring voters that a \u201cnew Uganda\u201d was attainable. He frequently criticised what he described as an oppressive political system.<\/p>\n

\u201cThe time for change is now. Ugandans deserve a government that listens and serves its people,\u201d he repeatedly told supporters during rallies.<\/p>\n

Ssemata dismissed allegations that he had been bribed to quit the race, insisting that his decision was entirely personal.<\/p>\n

\u201cLet me be clear \u2014 nobody gave me money to withdraw,\u201d he said. \u201cThis decision is mine alone and is based on the challenges I faced. No amount of money is worth my candidature, and any money that could be used to bribe me would be better spent building a modern hospital in Sembabule.\u201d<\/p>\n

His withdrawal has surprised many of his supporters, some of whom expressed disappointment. However, Ssemata urged them to remain peaceful and focused on the broader goal of political change.<\/p>\n

\u201cStay calm, remain committed to change, and vote for leaders you believe can genuinely represent you in Parliament,\u201d he advised.<\/p>\n

Ssemata is not the first NUP-affiliated figure to withdraw from an electoral race in Sembabule. Earlier, Isaac Tumusiime, who had received the NUP card to contest for the Lwemiyaga parliamentary seat, pulled out a day before nominations and later pledged support to NRM\u2019s Emmanuel Rwashande, frequently appearing at NRM rallies.<\/p>\n

Political observers also recall that ahead of the 2021 general elections, NRM\u2019s Sodo Aine Kaguta withdrew from the Mawogola North race, paving the way for independent candidate Shartis Musherure Kutesa to win after a heated contest.<\/p>\n

Ssemata\u2019s exit now reshapes the political landscape in Mawogola North, leaving voters and political parties recalibrating their strategies as the contest tightens.<\/p>\n

For More News And Analysis About Uganda<\/span> Follow Africa-Press<\/span><\/strong><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Africa-Press – Uganda. The National Unity Platform (NUP) flag bearer for the Mawogola North parliamentary seat, Idd Ssemata, has officially withdrawn from the race, citing financial constraints, violence and intimidation during the campaign period. Ssemata, who was cleared by the Electoral Commission on 22 October 2025, had been contesting against Sodo Aine Kaguta of the […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":84,"featured_media":117861,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[2,10],"tags":[234],"class_list":["post-117863","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-all-news","category-parties","tag-uganda"],"yoast_head":"\nNup'S Idd Ssemata Withdraws from Mawogola North Race - Uganda<\/title>\n<meta name=\"description\" content=\"The National Unity Platform (NUP) flag bearer for the Mawogola North parliamentary seat, Idd Ssemata, has officially ...\" \/>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link rel=\"canonical\" href=\"https:\/\/www.africa-press.net\/uganda\/all-news\/nups-idd-ssemata-withdraws-from-mawogola-north-race\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_US\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"Nup'S Idd Ssemata Withdraws from Mawogola North Race\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:description\" content=\"The National Unity Platform (NUP) flag bearer for the Mawogola North parliamentary seat, Idd Ssemata, has officially ...\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:url\" content=\"https:\/\/www.africa-press.net\/uganda\/all-news\/nups-idd-ssemata-withdraws-from-mawogola-north-race\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:site_name\" content=\"Uganda\" \/>\n<meta property=\"article:publisher\" content=\"https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/AfricaPressTunisiaa\" \/>\n<meta property=\"article:published_time\" content=\"2025-12-22T16:25:13+00:00\" \/>\n<meta property=\"article:modified_time\" content=\"2025-12-22T16:45:46+00:00\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:image\" content=\"https:\/\/static.africa-press.net\/uganda\/sites\/34\/2025\/12\/sm_1766409242.976221.jpg\" \/>\n\t<meta property=\"og:image:width\" content=\"1080\" \/>\n\t<meta property=\"og:image:height\" content=\"607\" \/>\n\t<meta property=\"og:image:type\" content=\"image\/jpeg\" \/>\n<meta name=\"author\" content=\"cfeditoren\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:card\" content=\"summary_large_image\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:label1\" content=\"Written by\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:data1\" content=\"cfeditoren\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:label2\" content=\"Est. reading time\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:data2\" content=\"3 minutes\" \/>\n<script type=\"application\/ld+json\" class=\"yoast-schema-graph\">{\"@context\":\"https:\/\/schema.org\",\"@graph\":[{\"@type\":\"Article\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.africa-press.net\/uganda\/all-news\/nups-idd-ssemata-withdraws-from-mawogola-north-race#article\",\"isPartOf\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.africa-press.net\/uganda\/all-news\/nups-idd-ssemata-withdraws-from-mawogola-north-race\"},\"author\":{\"name\":\"cfeditoren\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.africa-press.net\/uganda\/#\/schema\/person\/068c7ab4e9634ae78ec5d54ec46598bb\"},\"headline\":\"Nup’S Idd Ssemata Withdraws from Mawogola North Race\",\"datePublished\":\"2025-12-22T16:25:13+00:00\",\"dateModified\":\"2025-12-22T16:45:46+00:00\",\"mainEntityOfPage\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.africa-press.net\/uganda\/all-news\/nups-idd-ssemata-withdraws-from-mawogola-north-race\"},\"wordCount\":559,\"commentCount\":0,\"image\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.africa-press.net\/uganda\/all-news\/nups-idd-ssemata-withdraws-from-mawogola-north-race#primaryimage\"},\"thumbnailUrl\":\"https:\/\/static.africa-press.net\/uganda\/sites\/34\/2025\/12\/sm_1766409242.976221.jpg\",\"keywords\":[\"uganda\"],\"articleSection\":[\"all news\",\"parties\"],\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\",\"potentialAction\":[{\"@type\":\"CommentAction\",\"name\":\"Comment\",\"target\":[\"https:\/\/www.africa-press.net\/uganda\/all-news\/nups-idd-ssemata-withdraws-from-mawogola-north-race#respond\"]}]},{\"@type\":\"WebPage\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.africa-press.net\/uganda\/all-news\/nups-idd-ssemata-withdraws-from-mawogola-north-race\",\"url\":\"https:\/\/www.africa-press.net\/uganda\/all-news\/nups-idd-ssemata-withdraws-from-mawogola-north-race\",\"name\":\"Nup'S Idd Ssemata Withdraws from Mawogola North Race - 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