Best & worst of 2008

Dec 30, 2008

The New Vision readers have, for the 12th year running voted the people they considered best and worst performers.

The New Vision readers have, for the 12th year running voted the people they considered best and worst performers.

There were a total of 1,321 entries. 2008 was a year of change and surprises.

Ugandans were happy about the national developments, like Kampala becoming a conference capital, but were also angry about corruption. Irene Nabusoba writes

US President-elect Barack Obama was such an international achievement in 2008 that The New Vision readers voted him the Best Person and Man of the Year.

Obama, the first African American president to head the world’s most powerful nation, polled 531 votes (40.2%) out of 1,321 entries. Museveni, who has been the readers’ favourite for over a decade, came a close second with 484 (36.6%) votes.

Museveni’s strengths were accepting direct talks with Lord’s Resistance Army (LRA) rebel leader Joseph Kony, good leadership and the Bonna Bagaggawale (Prosperity for all) programme.

Readers of the The New Vision’s 12th annual survey also hailed Museveni for stabilising the economy, being a role model, improving Uganda’s image abroad and for supporting NRM candidates across the country, unlike the opposition who fielded their candidates against each other.

The readers voted Obama for his intellect, courage, and focus — attributes that enabled him to take the world’s most powerful position, as well as for his historical achievement as America’s first African American president.

In the second option of personality of the year, Obama still led, followed this time by Uganda’s Prime Minister Prof. Apollo Nsibambi and First Lady Janet Museveni. The First Lady was rated highly for her anti-Temangalo stand, being independent-minded, fighting against HIV/AIDS and for championing women causes.

Nsibambi was named for his firm stand against corruption, objectivity, being a gentleman, being a good team player and for supporting peace talks with the LRA.

The Police destruction of a marijuana plantation was voted the National Achievement of 2008, followed by the hosting of international conferences and reduced loadshedding.

The National Social Security Fund (NSSF) Temangalo land saga was voted the national blunder of the year.

The Inspector General of Police, Kale Kayihura was voted policeman of the year for his campaign against marijuana and corruption in the Police force.

Security minister Amama Mbabazi was voted the worst man of the year, as well as the worst performing minister and MP. Although Mbabazi was cleared of any wrongdoing in the NSSF-Temangalo land deal, his rating could have suffered for being mentioned in the saga.

However, the Temangalo-NSSF, which was the basis for Mbabazi’s rating, does not relate to his performance as a minister for security or as a legislator.
Kony was the second worst man of the year for failing the Juba peace talks, causing insecurity and prolonged suffering in northern Uganda.

Works minister John Nasasira was a man of many faces. While he garnered 110 votes to emerge as the second worst performing minister for failing to respond publicly to road accidents, delaying to finish the Northern By-pass and for shoddy construction road works, he also polled 140 votes to emerge as the third best performing minister.

In the Best Person of the Year category(First Option), there were surprises like the maiden appearance of Makindye West MP Hussein Kyanjo as the third best personality with 59 votes. Kampala Central MP Erias Lukwago emerged fourth with 23.

Suprises: Best performing MP
Nyombi Tembo was voted as the best performing MP, followed by outspoken MP Susan Nampijja who, like her father Ken Lukyamuzi, is synonymous with demonstrations and consequently often feels the long hand of the Police with its tear gas.

Hajji Hussein Kyanjo also seems to have three as his lucky number as he was again voted third best performing MP.

Worst performing MP
Amama Mbabazi was at it again for his hand in the NSSF scandal, followed by Betty Kamya for betraying her party and Elias Lukwago for ‘insulting people and misleading masses’.

Woman of the year
Buganda’s Queen Sylvia Nagginda took the trophy for her charity work, stepping out in style during the PAM Awards, educating orphans and fighting for the education of the girl child.
First Lady Janet Museveni came second.

Worst woman of the year
Betty Kamya’s defection from Forum for Democratic Change (FDC) did not go down well with The New Vision readers. They viewed the Lubaga North MP as a traitor, voting her worst woman of the year because ‘she has no direction.’
Her Soroti Woman counterpart Alice Alaso was voted second worst woman for ‘snatching a married man’. However, it is Betty Nambooze whom they love and hate at the same time, voting her third best woman of the year as well as worst woman of the year for being loudmouthed — ‘talkative,’ as they put it.

Best performing minister
The late Dr. Kibirige Ssebunya for introducing Clonal Coffee.
He was followed by Dr Ezra Suruma for economic development.
John Nasasira came third for improving the road network.

Business
Gordon Wavamuno was the readers’ favourite for his ambition, introduction of the Wavah water, clean business, ability to employ many people and expanding TV coverage.
He polled 686 (51.9%) votes, followed by industrialist James Mulwana (182 votes) for promoting the agro-industry.
Property mogul Sudhir Ruparelia came third with 71 votes for good working system and investment portfolio in the hotel industry which successfully hosted the Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting in November 2007.

Farming:
Prof Gilbert Bukenya was voted farmer of the year for encouraging rice growing and promoting commercial agriculture. The late Ssebunya came second for introducing Clonal Coffee and modernising agriculture.

Education
Namirembe Bitamazire was hailed for advocating Universal Secondary Education (USE), Prof Balunywa came second for steering the administration of Makerere University Business School even during controversies.
Hajji Yusuf Nsubuga was hailed for implementing USE.

Best dressed woman
In fashion, the Nabagereka once again took the trophy, followed by the First Lady Museveni and Chekamondo Lukia.

Best dressed man
Kabaka Ronald Mutebi took the slot for men, followed by Capt. Mike Mukula and President Museveni.

Worst dressed woman
WBS Late Show presenter Straka Mwezi did not survive the axe in this category. She was voted worst dressed woman of the year, followed by local music ace Bebe Cool’s wife Zuena Nakimera and FDC stalwart Salaamu Musumba.

Best musician (local):
The public reaffirmed Juliana Kanyomozi’s might, voting her the best musician, followed by Bobi Wine and Jose Chameleone, closely followed by Mesach Ssemakula.

Best local song
Bobi Wine’s Mazzi Mawanvu took the slot because it is ‘inspiring and boastful’, followed by Sirina Mulala (Sweet Kid and Juliana) given its strong emotions.
Bayudda was chosen because ‘it carries a lot of meaning.’

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