Erias Lukwago is the 18th mayor of Kampala and the first lord mayor in transition that started way back in 1950s, Walakira Nyanzi writes. But Lukwago is only the fourth mayor to be directly elected by Kampala residents in a secret ballot. The following are other 17 distinguished citizens that have served as Mayors of Kampala.
1. Sir Amar Main (C.B.E) 1950-55 after serving as Kampala Municipal board chairman
2. Councilor K.H. Dale (O.B.E), 1955-56 (he died in office)
3. Councilor C.S Lewis (1956-58)
4. Councilor (the hon. C.E Develin 1958-9)
5. Councilor (the hon. S.W. Kulubya (C.B.E) 1959-61). Kulubya is the first African mayor of Kampala.
6. Alderman Mrs. B. Saben (C.B.E) 1961-2, was the first woman mayor of Kampala.
7. Councilor Sarah M. Nkonge was the first woman acting mayor of Kampala (1998-9)
8. Alderman P.L. Patel 1962-3
9. Alderman P.N. Kavuma (O.B.E) 1961-5
10. Alderman W.Y. Nega 1965-8
11. Alderman A.G. Mehta 1968-9. He died in office
12. Alderman Nakibinge 1969-71
13. His worship Walusimbi Mpanga, one of Kampala’s long serving mayors (1971-82)
14. His worship Fred Semaganda 1982-6
15. Chairman Wasswa Ziritwawula 1987-9
16. His worship C. Yiga 1989-97
17. His worship Nasser Ntege Sebaggala 1998, the first directly elected mayor of Kampala and the first one to lose office as Kampala mayor because of a court conviction. He was replaced by his deputy Sarah Nkonge who served as acting mayor until June 1999 when His worship Sebaana Kizito took over as the second directly elected Mayor of Kampala.
In February 2002, Sebaana again stood as a mayoral candidate and was re-elected with a greater mandate for a full term as a mayor. Sebaana was replaced by Nasser Sebaggala who was also later replaced by Erias Lukwago.