Why have others got a lion’s share?
Oct 03, 2006
SIR — I am dismayed by the response of the NRM Vice Chairperson, Moses Kigongo, to the NRM party chiefs in Kabarole over their demand for more ministerial appointments reported on Monday.
SIR — I am dismayed by the response of the NRM Vice Chairperson, Moses Kigongo, to the NRM party chiefs in Kabarole over their demand for more ministerial appointments reported on Monday.
The demand expressed by the local party leaders is very valid and is gaining popularity in Toro. The feeling that the Batooro are being marginalised was told to President Museveni, in July and the first Lady and MP, Ruhama, Janet Museveni, last month, when meeting a cross-section of Batooro leaders.
I believe that the disgruntled voices of the Batooro as political players cannot be silenced and ignored for long. Much as we are being told that something is being worked out by the appointing authority, the President, we don’t see the results and given the message delivered by the NRM Vice Chairperson none may be in the offing!
Kigongo’s statement is very loaded and shows the NRM’s attitude towards the Batooro. As a Mutooro and an NRM party supporter, I strongly feel that our people deserve to be treated with more courtesy.
Since the inception of the Movement, the Batooro have been consistent in their support. Toro comprises of the districts of Kabarole, Kyenjojo and Kamwenge. In the recent elections both Kamwenge and Kyenjojo gave the NRM over 90% support while Kabarole had over 85%. All parliamentarians, district chairpersons and councillors are members of the NRM party. As a reward for their support, the two surviving ministers, Tom Butime and Adolf Mwesige were demoted to the levels of what some opposition politicians refer to as “spanner boysâ€. Butime rejected the appointment with dignity and as an insult to the Batooro it was thrown over to the “hungry†Aston Kajara.
Kamwenge walked away empty-handed and the only Mutooro in the East African Legislative Assembly, Sheila Kawamara was pulled out, thanks to the NRM party.
Given his status in the party, Kigongo is wrong to pull down and ridicule our past leaders by saying that they did nothing in terms of bringing services to the people. For his information, we are very proud of our leaders, including the late former vice President Dr. John Babiiha, Prof. Edward Rugumayo, Prof. William Banage, Prof. Ruyoka, Prof. Akiiki Mujaju, and many others that have left a landmark in the history of this country.
Kigongo should know that many great men and women from Toro have sacrificed and taken services to their people in their individual capacities, educated their children and even greatly contributed to national development. The victory of the NRM’s protracted war was as a result of the Batooro support.
In comparison to other parts of Uganda, including Buganda, where Kigongo hails from, the Batooro have excelled in all aspects, given the fact that all governments have ignored the region’s development.
The Batooro are justified to demand for more ministerial appointments because in Uganda, today, Cabinet is the strongest lobby group for service delivery.
Apart from that, what have Bushenyi, Kabale, Mbarara (Ankole) and Buganda done to deserve so many ministers, that Toro has failed to do? Let the NRM not take our silence and goodwill for granted.
Steven Abooki Businge
Kisomoro, Kabarole
The demand expressed by the local party leaders is very valid and is gaining popularity in Toro. The feeling that the Batooro are being marginalised was told to President Museveni, in July and the first Lady and MP, Ruhama, Janet Museveni, last month, when meeting a cross-section of Batooro leaders.
I believe that the disgruntled voices of the Batooro as political players cannot be silenced and ignored for long. Much as we are being told that something is being worked out by the appointing authority, the President, we don’t see the results and given the message delivered by the NRM Vice Chairperson none may be in the offing!
Kigongo’s statement is very loaded and shows the NRM’s attitude towards the Batooro. As a Mutooro and an NRM party supporter, I strongly feel that our people deserve to be treated with more courtesy.
Since the inception of the Movement, the Batooro have been consistent in their support. Toro comprises of the districts of Kabarole, Kyenjojo and Kamwenge. In the recent elections both Kamwenge and Kyenjojo gave the NRM over 90% support while Kabarole had over 85%. All parliamentarians, district chairpersons and councillors are members of the NRM party. As a reward for their support, the two surviving ministers, Tom Butime and Adolf Mwesige were demoted to the levels of what some opposition politicians refer to as “spanner boysâ€. Butime rejected the appointment with dignity and as an insult to the Batooro it was thrown over to the “hungry†Aston Kajara.
Kamwenge walked away empty-handed and the only Mutooro in the East African Legislative Assembly, Sheila Kawamara was pulled out, thanks to the NRM party.
Given his status in the party, Kigongo is wrong to pull down and ridicule our past leaders by saying that they did nothing in terms of bringing services to the people. For his information, we are very proud of our leaders, including the late former vice President Dr. John Babiiha, Prof. Edward Rugumayo, Prof. William Banage, Prof. Ruyoka, Prof. Akiiki Mujaju, and many others that have left a landmark in the history of this country.
Kigongo should know that many great men and women from Toro have sacrificed and taken services to their people in their individual capacities, educated their children and even greatly contributed to national development. The victory of the NRM’s protracted war was as a result of the Batooro support.
In comparison to other parts of Uganda, including Buganda, where Kigongo hails from, the Batooro have excelled in all aspects, given the fact that all governments have ignored the region’s development.
The Batooro are justified to demand for more ministerial appointments because in Uganda, today, Cabinet is the strongest lobby group for service delivery.
Apart from that, what have Bushenyi, Kabale, Mbarara (Ankole) and Buganda done to deserve so many ministers, that Toro has failed to do? Let the NRM not take our silence and goodwill for granted.
Steven Abooki Businge
Kisomoro, Kabarole