Activist Yamu now seeks to become Kampala lord mayor

Shortly before the conclusion of nominations of candidates for the upcoming hotly contested Kampala lord mayorship, one intriguing figure emerged.

Lawyer Jothan Yamurebire Burobuto, a serial activist and chairman of the Party of Labour Uganda (PLU), presented his credentials and was duly nominated for the hot seat. It was a bit of a surprise because whereas he is a popular figure in youths and student circles, he is not a full-time politician deemed strong enough to woo Kampala voters to put him in the lord mayor’s seat.

He is contesting against political heavyweights that include the incumbent lord mayor Erias Lukwago of PFF and NUP’s Ronald Balimwezo. Others are FDC’s Ibrahim Kasozi, DP’s Beatrice Mao, Nabilah Naggayi and NRM’s Moses Kizito.

Yamu, as he is popularly known, told The Observer as recent as June, 2025 that he intended to be on the 2026 presidential ballot. But here he is now, eyeing to superintend over the capital city.

“In my countrywide consultations, we encountered challenges with security operatives in hindering my party’s registration efforts. There were persistent difficulties in gaining recognition as a legitimate political entity because our agents and coordinators faced relentless harassment and arrests by security operatives while gathering signatures for registration,” he says.

“So, I decided to start with our capital. I am just a face of a big group of concerned young adults about the state of not only our city, but also our country. So, this endeavour is to try and use the platform to have conversations with our souls.

Questions such as what kind of Kampala we want for the generation now, but in a broader sense also, what kind of country we want. By beginning with the capital city, we shall be saying more and sharing more about what we plan through our manifesto of Kampala.”

For years, Yamu has positioned himself for leadership on numerous occasions, one time serving as acting Makerere University guild president for 11 months. He trended in 2020 when he somehow held audiences with the leading candidates for the 2021 presidency, including President Museveni and his main rival Robert Kyagulanyi.

His activism has landed him in jail on several occasions yet somehow, he has always come back stronger. It remains to be seen how he performs in the lord mayor race for his broader quest to lead the country.