The 2026 General Elections have handed a rude awakening to some of Uganda’s biggest music stars after their parliamentary dreams hit a dead end and lost horribly, here we break down some of the unexpected ones.
In Sembabule District, singer Nina Kankunda alias Nina Roz failed to break through in the Woman MP race, finishing third in a fiercely contested contest. The seat attracted heavy politicalweights including Florence Nambazira (NRM), Mary Begumisa (Independent), Angella Kigonya (DP) and Ester Kinkuhire (Independent), leaving the songstress trailing despite an energetic campaign.
In Mawokota North, it was heartbreak again for singer-turned-politician Hillary Kiyaga, better known as Dr Hilderman.
The former opposition MP lost the seat to veteran politician Amelia Kyambadde, who proved too strong in a race marked by high voter turnout and stiff competition. Hilderman had hoped his previous parliamentary experience would give him an edge, but the numbers didn’t swing his way.
The music-politics losses didn’t end there. In Kakuuto County, Kyotera District, Geoffrey Lutaaya (NUP) was defeated by NRM’s Ismail Lubega, sealing another setback for entertainment-linked candidates at the polls.
The results underline a tough lesson from the 2026 elections: star power and popularity on stage don’t always translate into votes at the ballot box.
