Parliament paid her tribute and Vigil, and Ugandans buried her on Thursday. Kalangala votes in 60 days.
Kalangala District Woman MP Hon. Helen Nakimuli died on April 19, 2026 after complications during surgery at Alexandra Medical Center in Kampala. She was 41. Her body returned to Kalangala before her burial for a special district council session before Parliament honored her Wednesday and burial happened yesterday ‘Thursday’ in Luweero.
The mourning ended. The politics cannot wait.
Under Article 81 of the Constitution, once the Speaker of Parliament declares the seat vacant, the Electoral Commission must organize a by-election within 60 days. The EC spokesperson confirmed this to the press on Monday: “Upon formal notification from Parliament, the Commission shall commence preparations and conduct the by-election within the 60 days prescribed by law.”
If Speaker Anita Among makes the declaration, voting must happen by Friday, June 20, 2026.
That is 8 weeks. On 84 islands. With no tarmac.
Why This Seat Matters to Both Camps
Kalangala is small in voters — about 28,000 in 2021 — but big in symbols.
For 30 years it was an NRM bedroom. Mary Nsangi Kakembo, a former Minister for Children, held it. Ruth Kavuma, wife of ex-Deputy Chief Justice Steven Kavuma, held it. Carolyn Birungi Nanyondo held it. All NRM. All unchallenged.
Then 2021 happened. Helen Nakimuli of the National Unity Platform beat NRM’s Aidah Nabayiga by 1,272 votes. Bobi Wine also beat President Museveni on the islands, 13,121 to 5,275. The “NRM fortress” cracked.
Nakimuli became Shadow Minister for Fisheries. She pushed for compensation after Lake Victoria floods displaced 5,000 families. She funded Ssese FC. She was re-elected unopposed in NUP primaries on January 15, 2026.
Three months later, she is gone.
NRM sees a chance to take back what it lost. NUP sees a chance to prove 2021 was not a fluke. Both are right.
The Names Moving on the Ground
By Tuesday evening, village chairpersons in Bukasa, Bufumira, and Kyamuswa were holding meetings. Boda boda stages were arguing. The race has started without forms.
Here are the 4 names you will hear most before nominations:
Aidah Nabayiga — NRM
She was Woman MP from 2016 to 2021. She lost to Nakimuli in 2021 with 8,519 votes against 9,791. But she never stopped moving. She ran unopposed in NRM primaries for 2026 before Nakimuli’s death.
Her strength is structure. NRM has 30-member committees in 95 villages. Her weakness is history. Kalangala has voted NRM for decades but still lacks a full hospital. She was in office when that complaint grew. She must answer it.
NUP’s Replacement — To Be Named
Nakimuli was unopposed in NUP primaries. Her death means the party must pick again. Expect a woman from the district youth council, women’s council, or a known mobilizer in the fishing community.
NUP’s strength is mood. Young people in Kalangala are angry about navy operations on the lake and lack of jobs. Its weakness is machinery. President Museveni reclaimed Kalangala in 2026 with 50.63%. NRM has money and boats. NUP must find both fast.
Lydia Nakimera — Independent
She polled 932 votes in 2021. She lost to Nabayiga in 2016. She is not a favourite, but Kalangala has 84 islands and island politics is personal. If NRM primaries get messy or if Nabayiga fails to unite the old guard, Nakimera can eat votes in Bufumira and Bubeke. Independents win when big parties bleed.
Agnes Lunkuse — Not a Candidate, But a Decider
She just became Kalangala’s first female LC5 Chairperson, winning for NRM with 11,257 votes against NUP’s 5,825. She cannot run for MP while holding LC5.
But she controls the most active NRM machine on the islands: women’s groups, teachers, and church leaders. If she throws that machine behind Nabayiga, the race is almost done. If she focuses on her LC5 job and stays quiet, the race opens.
3 Issues That Will Bury or Elect You
Water Transport.
You cannot campaign in Kalangala by road. You campaign by boat. In 2021, Kyamuswa MP Moses Kabuusu built MV Seddume to move vehicles. Candidates without a vessel will not reach 60% of voters. Fuel prices will decide who is heard.
Fishing and the Navy.
Nakimuli’s biggest platform was fisheries. Fishermen complain of harassment by UPDF Fisheries Protection Unit, confiscated boats, and expired licenses. The candidate who promises to speak in Parliament about the lake, and is believed, will carry Buggala, Bubeke, and Bukasa.
Nakimuli’s Legacy vs Government Access.
NUP will tell voters: “Protect Helen’s work. Send one of her own.” NRM will tell voters: “Send someone who can enter State House and bring a hospital.” That is sympathy versus access. Kalangala chose sympathy in 2021. It chose access for LC5 in 2026. Which one wins in June?
The Next 60 Days
Week 1: Speaker declares vacancy. EC dispatches team to Kalangala.
Week 2-3: Voter register update. This is where ghosts are added or removed. Parties will fight.
Week 4: Nominations at district headquarters. Expect 3-5 candidates.
Week 5-8: Campaigns. 30 days of boats, rallies on landing sites, and funerals turned political.
By June 20: Voting.
Whoever wins represents Kalangala until 2031. They will be only the second Woman MP in the NUP era, or the one who ends it.
In 2021, Kalangala voted for change. In 2026, it voted for NRM at LC5. In 60 days, it must choose again.
The islands stopped voting blindly. Now they ask every candidate one question: “When the lake gets rough, will you be in the boat with us?”
