Mpiima Mugambe: Candidate for Lynnwood City Council Position 5

There are four Lynnwood City Council positions and a mayoral race on the city’s Nov. 4 general election ballot.   

Lynnwood Today sent the same set of questions to each city council candidate to inform voters on who is running for local office. 

Responses may have been edited for brevity, grammar and clarity. 

Mpiima Mugambe: Candidate for Lynnwood City Council Position 5

Mpiima Mugambe, a political newcomer, is running against appointed incumbent Robert Leutwyler. 

Mugambe is a social worker, husband, father of four and a refugee from Uganda. He works as a clinical supervisor at the Downtown Emergency Service Center in Seattle and a lecturer at the University of Washington School of Social Work. He’s the founder of Immigrant Guide – a nonprofit dedicated to helping immigrants and refugees adjust to life in the U.S. 

Give an elevator pitch of your platform/why you are running for council.

“I am running because I want to help create a Lynnwood where everyone – no matter their background – has the opportunity to thrive. We are living in a time where our immigrants are at risk, the safety of LGBTQIA+ neighbors is being threatened. …Opportunity is shrinking for our young people, and …too many people are struggling to make ends meet with basic necessities. So much of this can be fixed or helped at the local level with the right policies and I want to be part of that solution.”

How do you plan to apply your personal experiences to better the city of Lynnwood?

“As an asylee, I know how daunting the immigration experience in America can be. As a social worker I am deeply connected to the impact policies can have on people’s lives, especially the lives of the most vulnerable among us. As a Black man and community policing volunteer, I know the fine line that law enforcement needs to walk to win back public trust while putting in the work to make our communities safer. As a professor at UW, I am also deeply connected to the struggles young people face as their futures become less and less affordable. All of these experiences are needed at the table when it comes to policy decisions in a growing city that is as diverse as Lynnwood.”

If elected, what’s one thing you’d like to see happen/change in your time on the council?

“We need to increase housing supply and lower the cost of affordable housing. …We want Lynnwood to be a city where young people can afford to move to, buy a home, start a family, [and] create a growing life. …In doing that, we will ensure our neighbors do not become priced out of their homes and neighborhoods. …So many other issues (from homelessness to local retail theft to local crimes) will get better if we can make housing more affordable and available first.”

If elected, how do you plan to remain professional and productive even though your opinions or values may conflict with those held by other councilmembers?

“[The] City Council and the residents we serve [benefit] from a wide array of diverse ideas represented among elected leaders. That is how democracy works. Because I am trained as a social worker and have experience working with people in crisis …I know how to remain calm under pressure and have extensive experience dealing with people who are being difficult or having bad moments. Respecting everyone else’s humanity and right to their beliefs is paramount in helping to find good areas of compromise if you are in a moment of political debate, and that is something I have extensive experience with.” 

What sets you apart from other candidates and current councilmembers?

“My experience as an asylum seeker and my experience as a social worker set me apart. Very few people who make policy decisions have actually had to go on crisis calls the way that I have. They likely don’t ever have to see – up close — the outcomes of their policy decisions and how those policies play out on the streets in real time. Every policy has unexpected outcomes, both good and bad, and my work gives me an up-close view of what those outcomes are.” 

What’s something happening in Lynnwood you don’t think is being addressed or talked about enough? How would you address it?

“I think we need to be doing a better job of standing up for our neighbors who are scared right now. A lot [is] happening at the federal level that is causing concern for our LGBTQIA+ neighbors, [and] our immigrant communities. Local communities and local governments have the duty to help protect their own residents from some of that harm. People need reassurance and we need to ensure that our social safety nets are fully funded and ready to help people when needed.”

What’s one issue or topic the council has talked about recently that’s piqued your interest, and how would you address it?

“Obviously the budget has been a big, recent discussion and I hope to be a voice [to] encourage us to pursue new, progressive sources of revenue – instead of hoping we can cut our way out of a budget deficit. So many cuts open our community members up to vulnerabilities they shouldn’t have to endure.” 

In recent years, multiple youth in Lynnwood have been injured or tragically lost their lives due to gun violence. If elected to the council, how would you approach this issue?

“We can encourage youth and youth-adjacent adults to speak out against gun violence and gun use. We can also encourage our local police departments to increase their gun buyback programs. We need to do more to ensure that our young people see a clear path forward to a brighter future. This includes increasing funding for programs that help [young people] learn and grow, keep them entertained in a healthy way, and help them find interests and hobbies they enjoy.” 

What do you think the council should do to accommodate growth in Lynnwood while keeping it an affordable and attractive place to live for current residents?

“We need to increase incentives for affordable housing, encourage rezoning of certain neighborhoods, end parking minimums, increase access to public transit, increase our tenant and renters rights. [Additionally we should support] programs to help people pay their rents when they have fallen behind, so we can keep people housed and encourage living spaces that are alternative to single family homes. We should also work to make Lynnwood more walkable or bikeable, encourage living in mixed-use buildings or mixed-zoned areas, and work to make healthy food more easily accessible and affordable.”

Visit Mugambe’s campaign website to learn more.

Mugambe and his opponent, Robert Leutwyler, will be participating in a Candidate Conversations event Wednesday, Oct. 8, sponsored by Lynnwood Today and Se Habla Media. The event will include Lynnwood City Council and mayoral candidates and will be at the Black Box Theatre at Edmonds College. Doors open at 6 p.m. and the event starts at 6:30 p.m.  The event is free to attend and no RSVP is required. More information is here.

Learn more about the November election and other candidates on Lynnwood Today’s Election 2025 page.

— Contact Ashley at ashley@myedmondsnews.com.