Who is Elias Nalukoola?

KAMPALA - Lawyer Elias Luyimbazi Nalukoola of the opposition National Unity Platform (NUP) was on March 13 elected the Kawempe North Member of Parliament (MP), replacing Muhammad Ssegirinya, who passed away on January 9, before completing his term.

Just like Ssegirinya, Nalukoola also comes from a humble background. But who exactly is Nalukoola? New Vision’s Simon Peter Tumwine and Farooq Kasule caught up with him.

Congratulations, Counsel Nalukoola, upon your election as the Kawempe North MP

It is my pleasure.

Tell us about yourself.

I was born on April 1, 1982. My father named me Elias Luyimbazi, but when I visited one of my uncles, the late Israel Kigwe, he added the name Nalukoola.

Who are your parents?

They are Swaib Sserugooti Kajjankemba and Madiina Nantongo of Kirokole village, Kawempe I parish, Kawempe division in Kawempe North constituency. I am the first born in a family of 11 children.

Are you married?

I am married with children [declines to give the number.

How would you describe your family and background?

I was born in a poor family and that is why I dropped out of school on several occasions. My father was a market vendor who sold sweet potatoes in St. Balikuddembe Market, commonly known as Owino. So, he could not afford to pay my school fees.

For example, when I joined Senior One, I attended the first term and in the second term, I had to work to get school fees for the third term. Luckily, I was promoted to Senior Two, but I could not continue with studies. I lived in a house made of mud and wattle, constructed by my grandfather, Sheikh Kalifan Kiyaga, who died in 1971 before my father met my mother.

Tell us about your academic journey.

I attended Kawempe Islamic Seminary, Kyerima Umea Primary School and Kawempe Muslim Primary School for my elementary education. I later joined St. Paul Secondary School in Mpererwe in 1998, but I dropped out due to lack of school fees after being promoted to Senior Two.

I then started doing odd jobs in Kampala until 2001 when I returned to school at Nile Secondary School, now Kinaawa High School in Kawempe. I studied Senior Three up to Senior Four and got a first grade.

What about A’level?

Having scored a first grade in Senior Four, I was motivated and joined Kawempe Muslim Secondary School for my A’level, where I was elected the head prefect. When the final exams were released, I was among the best students in my year in the country. I scored four A’s and a distinction in general paper, which motivated me to study law at Makerere University. I graduated in 2010.

We heard that you were a musician. Tell us about your music background and the stage name of ‘Dr Dandi’, which became public during campaigns.

At first, I had a dream of becoming a journalist. When I dropped out of school because of lack of school fees, my uncle, Hajji Asuman Mubiru, took me to the New Taxi Park to sell garments. In the evening before returning home, I would visit a pub, where many artistes used to gather, including Bobi Wine (now NUP president Robert Kyagulanyi), Master Parrot and Amooti Omubalanguzi. They inspired me into joining music, where I adopted the name ‘Dr Dandi’.

What kind of songs did you sing?

At one point, I sang with Bobi Wine and Master Parrot in their song titled Hot Guys in Town. Even Shanks Vivie D [singer] had proposed that I join him, but he had put a condition for me that I had to come up with a music demo to show him that I was serious. I could not handle since it was very expensive to do a recording in a studio at that time. I later dropped that dream and went back to school in 2001.

Most musicians do not go to school, how were you able to beat the odds?

I was able to because I kept on admiring those that had gone to school. Every time I would attend a graduation ceremony, I would feel that I was one of the graduates. So, this motivated me to go back to school. By the way, after a while, I met Bobi Wine at Chicks Pub in Lugoba after he had produced Akagoma, which was his breakthrough song and he was surprised that I had gone back to school, and that is how we have come far with him.

Do you have any role models?

Yes, Mahatma Gandhi. He was a great lawyer who abandoned his luxurious life and job and went back to India to champion the independence struggle for Indians. So, I needed to be an educated man so as to champion people’s causes.

You have been a fine lawyer, what prompted you to join politics?

As a lawyer, you only appear before courts of law, but you are not the one who makes the laws. My goal has always been to become a Member of Parliament so that I can participate in the legislative process because no matter how good a lawyer you are, you need good laws and I am ready for the task.

Many people think you were favoured for the NUP ticket given your background with Kyagulanyi, what is your take on this?

Who wouldn’t have given me a party card even if it was any other political party other than NUP? It is just a coincidence that Bobi Wine and I have been friends since childhood, but I was the best candidate and my record speaks for itself.

The elections were characterised by unprecedented violence, what is your comment about that?

It is regrettable. Those in government like Gen. Yoweri Museveni and those he works with should have a rethink and ensure that this does not happen again. They promised us a free and fair election and they should have let it be. Otherwise, what happened in Kawempe North was an embarrassment to them.

What are your plans for Kawempe North?

My core mandate as an MP is provided for under Article 79 of the Constitution and it includes making laws that foster good governance, peace, development and also to oversee the activities and projects of the Government not only in my constituency, but across the country. However, I intend to focus on skilling the young people in my constituency who constitute about 78% of the population so as to fight poverty among them.

This is because I cannot afford to give cash to everyone. I believe that when they are fully equipped, they will be able to look after their families. I also intend to fight for the devolution of power at Kampala Capital City Authority so that the divisions within Kampala are able to work on their problems like drainages.

What prompted you to ditch the Democratic Party for NUP?

After my president (Democratic Party’s Norbert Mao) signed a co-operation agreement with the National Resistance Movement, it became hard for me to keep in that party. So, I joined NUP and I am grateful and contented where I am.