Voters quiz Musumba over husband

By George Bita
in Kamuli

KAMULI LC5 candidate Proscovia Salaamu Musumba cannot be with her husband Isaac Musumba at her campaign rallies despite strong calls from supporters.

“Nobody will see me with Isaac at any political rally and that is the way it is,” she told a campaign rally in Bugulumbya trading centre, about 12km from Kamuli town, on Saturday. She added that she was principled and would not move with her husband just for the sake of winning votes.Salaamu Musumba is the vice-president of the opposition Forum for Democratic Change.

“Isaac is mine and not everybody’s husband. Nobody got him for me.” She argued that it was unfortunate her opponents were trying to get political mileage out of her marriage.

“People in Buzaaya county have vowed not to give me a single vote if they see me anywhere with Isaac. But those in Bugabula say if they don’t see me with my husband, they will not vote for me.”

Isaac Musumba, is the regional affairs minister and belongs to the ruling NRM party. He is campaigning for his wife’s main rival and the official NRM candidate, Steven Mubiiru. The third candidate, Moses Lubowa, is an independent. The seat became vacant after Ahmed Kawooya lost it for lack of academic papers. The by-election is due on May 10.

Questions about Salaamu Musumba’s marriage started when an old man, who did not identify himself, told her that her supporters were anxious to see her husband at her rallies.

He said although she had the support of the community, there was concern whether she would effectively steer Kamuli district since she had failed in her marriage. The man added: “Mama, some people are wondering how you will manage after leaving your husband.”

His remarks apparently caught Salaamu Musumba off guard as the excited crowd clapped their hands. The man argued that Salaamu Musumba would get more votes if her husband accompanied her on the campaign trail.

“Most Basoga people only respect women who endure the trials and tribulations of marriage and if you proved to them that you are one of such women, the votes would be overwhelmingly yours.”

Salaamu Musumba did not say if she still lived with the husband. She, however, asserted that her struggle to liberate Kamuli would not be compromised by such “a flimsy private issue.”

Continuing with her address, she promised to boost the health sector in the district so that pregnant women stop delivering from home.

“Many expectant mothers prefer the banana plantations because the health facilities are not enticing while the costs involved are beyond their reach.”
Earlier on Friday, while campaigning at Kasaka village in Bulopa sub-county, Salaamu Musumba asserted that the NRM Secretary General, Amama Mbabazi, had no business telling Kamuli people who to vote for.

Salaamu Musumba dismissed as baseless Mbabazi’s claims that she would fail to lead once elected because Kamuli councillors would not work with her since they belong to the NRM, forcing her to resign.

Mbabazi made the comments while addressing a rally in Kisozi recently.
Salaamu Musumba, however, said if the councillors refused to work with her, the voters would punish them by recalling them. She accused the NRM of peddling lies to deny her votes.

“Isn’t this the very party that is pretending internationally to have emancipated women yet fighting to deny one woman a position of political responsibility?” she asked.