DP fronts candidates for Kyotera district elections

Democratic Party (DP) on Tuesday officially declared Tom Darlington Balojja and Robinah Ssentongo Nakasirye as flag-bearers in the upcoming elections in Kyotera district.

The party fronted Balojja to vie for Local Council (LC5) election and Nakasirye for Kyotera Woman Member of Parliament seat.

New Vision has established that talks have been going on between the flag bearers and DP officials since last week until when they reached consensus.

Prominent and staunch party members of different calibre assembled in solidarity to rally support for their two flag-bearers.

The jovial delegates held a press conference shortly after endorsement. Maria Babirye Kabanda, the Masaka Woman MP, presented party symbols to the delegates on behalf of the DP President Norbert Mao. They included a flag and hoe.

Balojja is former District Education Officer. He currently holds a doctorate in education management from India and recognised as one of the prominent educationists in Rakai, Lyantonde and Kyotera districts.

This is his first attempt in the political battle. He pledged to uplift education standards in Kyotera and good administration of the new district.

Balojja addressing the press after being declared DP's flag bearer for Kyotera LC5 seat

"I have served in public office with a clean record, that is, transparency and integrity. My reputation has never been dented because I have all qualities of a good leader," he noted.

He still pledged to improve on poor road network, state of healthy centres, reduce poverty levels in different homesteads and ensure fair distribution of resources.

Nakasirye is former director of Kitovu Mobile, an HIV/AIDS Non-Governmental organisation where she has worked for over 30 years.

As an independent, she contest for Rakai Woman MP seat in 2016, but lost to NRM's Juliet Kinyamatama.

She petitioned and court nullified Kinyamatama's victory. Later, Kinyamatama appealed and the matter is pending judgment.

However, after the creation of Kyotera, Nakasirye sought another opportunity to contest for Woman MP in spite of the pending court ruling.  

Through the organisation, Nakasirye explained that she has lobbied for scholarships, mattresses, blankets and provided shelter and food reliefs for the needy including elderly, minors and youths.

Mary Kabanda appealed to the flag bearers to stick with the party for good ideas and brain power that can drive the district.

She further rubbished the circulating social media propaganda that Nakasirye is an NRM decoy planted to disorganize DP.

MPs including Joseph Ssewungu (Kalungu), Mathias Mpuuga (Masaka Municipality) and Maria Babirye Kabanda (Masaka Woman MP) attended the gathering.

Mpuuga urged party supporters to stick together from the beginning of the campaigns to the end of the elections. He added that this is the only means of winning the race to establish good leadership.

Sseungu explained that the solidarity will help the party to redeem Kyotera from poor administration.