Who is best for Kampala divisions?
AS elections for division chairpersons and councillors kick off, the stakes are high in the city divisions. This is because according to the new Kampala City Plan, the divisions will be receiving funding from the Central Government.
By JOSHUA KATO
AS elections for division chairpersons and councillors kick off, the stakes are high in the city divisions. This is because according to the new Kampala City Plan, the divisions will be receiving funding from the Central Government.
Previously, they got their funding through the district (City Hall).
The divisions will also have powers to decide on how they spend their funds. Previously, divisions had to get approval from the council to carry out certain projects, including tendering for projects that were over sh50m. With this new independence, the stakes are certainly higher.
The city is made up of five divisions of Kawempe, Rubaga, Nakawa, Kampala Central and Makindye. Each of these elects a division chairperson. Each division will also elect a councillor who will sit in the council. On average, every division council has got at least 40 councillors, representing parishes, youth, women and the disabled.
According to the Electoral Commission (EC) records, there are 33 candidates standing for the five division seats and 526 candidates for the about 200 directly elected councillor seats.
Opposition dominated
Of the five city divisions, only two are led by the NRM. Kawempe, Nakawa, and Makindye are led by members from the opposition. This dominance is also eminent in the various councils.
Salim Uhuru, the Kisenyi I councillor and candidate for the NRM, said the opposition dominance is not only unique to the councils but cuts across.
However, he said with more mobilisation, NRM could make gains such as the recapturing of the Kampala Central parliamentary seat.
The recently concluded LC5 elections proved to be very ‘fatal’ for incumbent local leaders since only 12 returned. The same wave is likely to sweep through the lower local council governments.
Kampala Central
It is currently held by NRM`s Godfrey Nyakana. Nyakana defeated DP candidate Charles Sserunjogi in 2006 to claim the seat. Both men are back in the race. There was an example of what is likely to happen when they met during the flopped mayoral elections last week. The two heckled each other just like in 2006, when they were involved in personal fights throughout the voting day.
However, the NRM must be buoyed by the fact that the Kampala Central MP seat was won by an NRM candidate.
The other contestants like Wilberforce Kyambadde (FDC), Mohamed Kibedi Nsegumire (Ind) and Moses Kiyingi Bosa are already in the shadows of the two leading ‘elephants’.
At the end, Nyakana will perform well in areas like Kololo and Kisenyi, while Sserunjogi will sweep the market areas and Kamwokya. Generally, however, the race is too close to call but Sserunjogi might just sneak in.
Kawempe Division
The division is currently in the hands of Nasser Takuba who is not standing again after being defeated in the DP party primaries.
However, the fact that there are four opposition candidates gives an NRM candidate a chance to capture the seat for the first time in over 15 years. Before Takuba, who has held the seat for two terms, it was in the hands of current Kawempe South MP Ssebuliba Mutumba.
Of the four opposition candidates, there are three strong ones. These are Daniel Ssali Konkomebi, the DP candidate, Hajji Mubarak Munyagwa, who is standing on the Social Democratic Party (SDP) ticket and Emmanuel Sserunjogi (ind).
The three opposition candidates are tussling it out with the single NRM candidate Mohamed Ssemanda Nsanja. There is also another opposition candidate Abdallah Kizza Mpiima (FDC) who will further curtail the opposition` vote count.
The absence of an incumbent leaves this race open for anyone to take. However, Munyagwa, Ssemanda and Sserunjogi all stand a chance.
Nakawa Division
Just like in Kawempe, this division has also been in the hands of the opposition for over 15 years. For the last two terms, it has been in the hands of DP’s Protazio Kintu.
Although Kintu is standing again, he is facing three strong fellow opposition candidates and two other ‘weak’ ones in Hajji Amis Bireke, a former councillor at City Council and Ronald Balimwezo Nsubuga. The other opposition candidates are Mohamed Bomboka Nsiko (FPU) and Steven Osako (FDC).
This gives the sole NRM candidate Ben Kalumba Ssebuliba a big chance to claim the seat. Overall, both Kintu and Bireke have a chance. However, NRM`s Kalumba might take it owing to the divided opposition.
Makindye Division
This has been an opposition strong hold for many years. At the moment, it is in the hands of Moses Kalungi, a DP leaning independent. Before Kalungi, Deo Kijjambu of DP held the seat.
Kalungi is standing again. He is facing DP`s Deo Kijjambu and Suubi`s Marvin Ssentongo.
In this race too, there is a rare candidate in Dr. Ian Clarke, the proprietor of International Hospital Kampala, who is standing as an independent. The NRM has got Rashid Biruma.
In Makindye, the seat will go either way. However, while Kalungi may enjoy the benefit of incumbency, he lacks the necessary ‘network’ having fallen out with most of the DP mobilisers. Deo Kijjambu, the former chairman, has the backing of DP too. With such a big line up of candidates, Dr Ian Clarke has a big chance of pulling it off since he is drawing supporters from both the opposition and the NRM.
Rubaga Division
This is traditionally a DP strong-hold, save for Peter Ssematimba`s brief capture of the seat two years ago. There are eight candidates tussling it out for the post. The absence of the incumbent means that the seat is for any one`s taking.
The ‘crowd’ of candidates vying for the seat include Joyce Ssebugwawo (FDC), Sulaiman Ssendi (NRM), Charles Mulindwa (DP) and Richard Miiro (CP). Indepedents include Peter Ssenyumba Kibedi who came from Samuel Lubega`s DP faction, Wilson Kabugo, Rose Andersen and Oscar Mbazira. The race is, however, between Ssebugwawo, Charles Mulindwa and NRM`s Ssendi.
Given the fact that the division was once held by a woman, Ssebugwawo has a chance now.
AS elections for division chairpersons and councillors kick off, the stakes are high in the city divisions. This is because according to the new Kampala City Plan, the divisions will be receiving funding from the Central Government.
Previously, they got their funding through the district (City Hall).
The divisions will also have powers to decide on how they spend their funds. Previously, divisions had to get approval from the council to carry out certain projects, including tendering for projects that were over sh50m. With this new independence, the stakes are certainly higher.
The city is made up of five divisions of Kawempe, Rubaga, Nakawa, Kampala Central and Makindye. Each of these elects a division chairperson. Each division will also elect a councillor who will sit in the council. On average, every division council has got at least 40 councillors, representing parishes, youth, women and the disabled.
According to the Electoral Commission (EC) records, there are 33 candidates standing for the five division seats and 526 candidates for the about 200 directly elected councillor seats.
Opposition dominated
Of the five city divisions, only two are led by the NRM. Kawempe, Nakawa, and Makindye are led by members from the opposition. This dominance is also eminent in the various councils.
Salim Uhuru, the Kisenyi I councillor and candidate for the NRM, said the opposition dominance is not only unique to the councils but cuts across.
However, he said with more mobilisation, NRM could make gains such as the recapturing of the Kampala Central parliamentary seat.
The recently concluded LC5 elections proved to be very ‘fatal’ for incumbent local leaders since only 12 returned. The same wave is likely to sweep through the lower local council governments.
Kampala Central
It is currently held by NRM`s Godfrey Nyakana. Nyakana defeated DP candidate Charles Sserunjogi in 2006 to claim the seat. Both men are back in the race. There was an example of what is likely to happen when they met during the flopped mayoral elections last week. The two heckled each other just like in 2006, when they were involved in personal fights throughout the voting day.
However, the NRM must be buoyed by the fact that the Kampala Central MP seat was won by an NRM candidate.
The other contestants like Wilberforce Kyambadde (FDC), Mohamed Kibedi Nsegumire (Ind) and Moses Kiyingi Bosa are already in the shadows of the two leading ‘elephants’.
At the end, Nyakana will perform well in areas like Kololo and Kisenyi, while Sserunjogi will sweep the market areas and Kamwokya. Generally, however, the race is too close to call but Sserunjogi might just sneak in.
Kawempe Division
The division is currently in the hands of Nasser Takuba who is not standing again after being defeated in the DP party primaries.
However, the fact that there are four opposition candidates gives an NRM candidate a chance to capture the seat for the first time in over 15 years. Before Takuba, who has held the seat for two terms, it was in the hands of current Kawempe South MP Ssebuliba Mutumba.
Of the four opposition candidates, there are three strong ones. These are Daniel Ssali Konkomebi, the DP candidate, Hajji Mubarak Munyagwa, who is standing on the Social Democratic Party (SDP) ticket and Emmanuel Sserunjogi (ind).
The three opposition candidates are tussling it out with the single NRM candidate Mohamed Ssemanda Nsanja. There is also another opposition candidate Abdallah Kizza Mpiima (FDC) who will further curtail the opposition` vote count.
The absence of an incumbent leaves this race open for anyone to take. However, Munyagwa, Ssemanda and Sserunjogi all stand a chance.
Nakawa Division
Just like in Kawempe, this division has also been in the hands of the opposition for over 15 years. For the last two terms, it has been in the hands of DP’s Protazio Kintu.
Although Kintu is standing again, he is facing three strong fellow opposition candidates and two other ‘weak’ ones in Hajji Amis Bireke, a former councillor at City Council and Ronald Balimwezo Nsubuga. The other opposition candidates are Mohamed Bomboka Nsiko (FPU) and Steven Osako (FDC).
This gives the sole NRM candidate Ben Kalumba Ssebuliba a big chance to claim the seat. Overall, both Kintu and Bireke have a chance. However, NRM`s Kalumba might take it owing to the divided opposition.
Makindye Division
This has been an opposition strong hold for many years. At the moment, it is in the hands of Moses Kalungi, a DP leaning independent. Before Kalungi, Deo Kijjambu of DP held the seat.
Kalungi is standing again. He is facing DP`s Deo Kijjambu and Suubi`s Marvin Ssentongo.
In this race too, there is a rare candidate in Dr. Ian Clarke, the proprietor of International Hospital Kampala, who is standing as an independent. The NRM has got Rashid Biruma.
In Makindye, the seat will go either way. However, while Kalungi may enjoy the benefit of incumbency, he lacks the necessary ‘network’ having fallen out with most of the DP mobilisers. Deo Kijjambu, the former chairman, has the backing of DP too. With such a big line up of candidates, Dr Ian Clarke has a big chance of pulling it off since he is drawing supporters from both the opposition and the NRM.
Rubaga Division
This is traditionally a DP strong-hold, save for Peter Ssematimba`s brief capture of the seat two years ago. There are eight candidates tussling it out for the post. The absence of the incumbent means that the seat is for any one`s taking.
The ‘crowd’ of candidates vying for the seat include Joyce Ssebugwawo (FDC), Sulaiman Ssendi (NRM), Charles Mulindwa (DP) and Richard Miiro (CP). Indepedents include Peter Ssenyumba Kibedi who came from Samuel Lubega`s DP faction, Wilson Kabugo, Rose Andersen and Oscar Mbazira. The race is, however, between Ssebugwawo, Charles Mulindwa and NRM`s Ssendi.
Given the fact that the division was once held by a woman, Ssebugwawo has a chance now.