Ogwal, Akena fight for Lira MP seat
Feb 20, 2006
‘UPC Iron Lady’ Cecilia Ogwal is battling NRM’s Sam Engola and Jimmy Akena, son of the late UPC leader Milton Obote, to retain her Lira Municipality MP seat
‘UPC Iron Lady’ Cecilia Ogwal is battling NRM’s Sam Engola and Jimmy Akena, son of the late UPC leader Milton Obote, to retain her Lira Municipality MP seat. Ali Mao and Alex Onen interviewed Ogwal and Akena who come from the same party and are leading in the race
OGWAL
QUESTION: How is the campaign going?
ANSWER: Very well. We started on well but it got messed up because there is general fear about the Movement cadres being trained to intimidate, disrupt opposition rallies or even rig the election but we are praying that it ends peacefully without any election malpractices.
You are seen as an outsider in the UPC party after you lost the primaries. Do you hope to win as an independent?
As a senior politician, I am looking at politics in Lango as a whole in a balanced manner. I do not look at politics at the surface. For people to have confidence in you they look at your performance. Of course I have no doubt of winning. Akena should have started his political career from the district level so that people judge his performance. I cannot see Akena or NRM’s Engola going through. Even if one of them is elected, the issues that affect Lango need a person who is competent to challenge the government.
First of all, I toiled for 20 years as the ‘UPC Iron Lady’ to bring back multiparty system, which most of us are now enjoying. I was arrested, harassed and even beaten up by security agencies because of my struggle.
What do you mean by Iron lady?
I was given the name Iron Lady (Mama) by the late Dr. Apollo Milton Obote when we visited him in Lusaka. This was because of my perseverance in the party.
Why do you flash the FDC V-sign in your campaigns?
People are not voting on the basis of party affiliation or colour.
The people of Lango seem committed to voting Kizza Besigye, not Miria Obote, because they see competency in Besigye. They see that they need Besigye to get rid of President Museveni who has through his administration caused the suffering of people and failed to address the disaster situation in northern Uganda. Museveni also turned down the resolution by Members of Parliament from across Uganda to declare northern Uganda a disaster region which would have opened the gate for the international community to give aid to the war-affected people.
Museveni’s government failed to address the issue of affirmative action in uplifting the development of the north. These would force people to vote for issues that affect them.
What is your plan for the Municipality if you win?
Lira Municipality is ranked among the fastest growing Municipalities in the country and this started during my term of leadership. My major target is to strive for peace and prosperity in my constituency and work out modalities with stakeholders to return the people from the IDP camps to their villages. My other target is to put pressure on the government-elect to declare the north a disaster region. If we talk about peace, we should also address the welfare of the army ad not only training.
AKENA
You are young and new in politics. Why don’t you let elders do the work?
People are not honest when they say I am young. I am old enough to contest for any seat. My father joined politics at the district level when he was in his 30s and become a Prime Minister when he was 37 years old. I think age is not an issue here.
Why do you think you can beat Ogwal and Engola who have been here for a long time?
I have no doubt and I am winning. My victory will not be because of sympathy votes as I hear but it will be because of my competence as stipulated in my manifesto. I think I can win even with a big margin.
Question. If you win will you work with Ogwal and Engola?
I am ready to work with them in all ways because my aim is to bring together all categories of people to work for the development not only of Lira Municipality but the entire Lango sub-region and the country at large. I will only fail to work with them if they fail to work with me.
And if you lose?
I am not going to lose this election. How? I have enough support. Unless there will be election malpractices. But talking hypothetically, I will have no problem working with whoever wins the election if I see that it was free are fair. I have no personal disagreement with my rivals.
Your supporters are being accused of causing violence against supporters of your rivals.
My supporters have never been involved in any violence since the
campaign kicked off. I have never attacked anybody or my rivals’ camps. I think they are only scared of my support because these are the very people who had been giving them votes but they (voters) have realised that Ogwal and Engola are non-performers. This is a battle of ideas which we are going to win.
When you resort to using bad words against your political opponent, it means you have run out of ideas and you are thoroughly beaten. As a public figure (candidate) you ought to use convincing words to woo more supporters.
What do you want to do for Lira Municipality?
My immediate priority is to ensure that peace is restored and all internally displaced persons (IDPs) are taken back home and the people and their property are protected. You cannot have development when people are confined in camps. My next target will be education. The standard of education is falling despite Universal Primary Education (UPE), which means there is something wrong with the policy. I want to make sure that quality education is given to our children so that their future and that of the country is bright.
I also get shocked when I see people dodging potholes on roads in the town. This makes me think there is something wrong with budgetary policies. Therefore there is need to fight corruption. In fact there is still a lot to be done to improve the livelihood of the people in this constituency and the region. I have the plans ready in my manifesto. Until these problems are solved, I would not say we are moving forward.
If the NRM wins the elections will you work freely with the government?
The government of Uganda has a duty to protect its citizens and to foster development in all parts of the country irrespective of where it enjoys support. I am ready to work with the government on issues that affect my constituency and the region. But I will oppose all activities and policies that are irrelevant to the development of this nation.
How would you reconcile UPC factions?
That is the work of the party’s reconciliation committee.
OGWAL
QUESTION: How is the campaign going?
ANSWER: Very well. We started on well but it got messed up because there is general fear about the Movement cadres being trained to intimidate, disrupt opposition rallies or even rig the election but we are praying that it ends peacefully without any election malpractices.
You are seen as an outsider in the UPC party after you lost the primaries. Do you hope to win as an independent?
As a senior politician, I am looking at politics in Lango as a whole in a balanced manner. I do not look at politics at the surface. For people to have confidence in you they look at your performance. Of course I have no doubt of winning. Akena should have started his political career from the district level so that people judge his performance. I cannot see Akena or NRM’s Engola going through. Even if one of them is elected, the issues that affect Lango need a person who is competent to challenge the government.
First of all, I toiled for 20 years as the ‘UPC Iron Lady’ to bring back multiparty system, which most of us are now enjoying. I was arrested, harassed and even beaten up by security agencies because of my struggle.
What do you mean by Iron lady?
I was given the name Iron Lady (Mama) by the late Dr. Apollo Milton Obote when we visited him in Lusaka. This was because of my perseverance in the party.
Why do you flash the FDC V-sign in your campaigns?
People are not voting on the basis of party affiliation or colour.
The people of Lango seem committed to voting Kizza Besigye, not Miria Obote, because they see competency in Besigye. They see that they need Besigye to get rid of President Museveni who has through his administration caused the suffering of people and failed to address the disaster situation in northern Uganda. Museveni also turned down the resolution by Members of Parliament from across Uganda to declare northern Uganda a disaster region which would have opened the gate for the international community to give aid to the war-affected people.
Museveni’s government failed to address the issue of affirmative action in uplifting the development of the north. These would force people to vote for issues that affect them.
What is your plan for the Municipality if you win?
Lira Municipality is ranked among the fastest growing Municipalities in the country and this started during my term of leadership. My major target is to strive for peace and prosperity in my constituency and work out modalities with stakeholders to return the people from the IDP camps to their villages. My other target is to put pressure on the government-elect to declare the north a disaster region. If we talk about peace, we should also address the welfare of the army ad not only training.
AKENA
You are young and new in politics. Why don’t you let elders do the work?
People are not honest when they say I am young. I am old enough to contest for any seat. My father joined politics at the district level when he was in his 30s and become a Prime Minister when he was 37 years old. I think age is not an issue here.
Why do you think you can beat Ogwal and Engola who have been here for a long time?
I have no doubt and I am winning. My victory will not be because of sympathy votes as I hear but it will be because of my competence as stipulated in my manifesto. I think I can win even with a big margin.
Question. If you win will you work with Ogwal and Engola?
I am ready to work with them in all ways because my aim is to bring together all categories of people to work for the development not only of Lira Municipality but the entire Lango sub-region and the country at large. I will only fail to work with them if they fail to work with me.
And if you lose?
I am not going to lose this election. How? I have enough support. Unless there will be election malpractices. But talking hypothetically, I will have no problem working with whoever wins the election if I see that it was free are fair. I have no personal disagreement with my rivals.
Your supporters are being accused of causing violence against supporters of your rivals.
My supporters have never been involved in any violence since the
campaign kicked off. I have never attacked anybody or my rivals’ camps. I think they are only scared of my support because these are the very people who had been giving them votes but they (voters) have realised that Ogwal and Engola are non-performers. This is a battle of ideas which we are going to win.
When you resort to using bad words against your political opponent, it means you have run out of ideas and you are thoroughly beaten. As a public figure (candidate) you ought to use convincing words to woo more supporters.
What do you want to do for Lira Municipality?
My immediate priority is to ensure that peace is restored and all internally displaced persons (IDPs) are taken back home and the people and their property are protected. You cannot have development when people are confined in camps. My next target will be education. The standard of education is falling despite Universal Primary Education (UPE), which means there is something wrong with the policy. I want to make sure that quality education is given to our children so that their future and that of the country is bright.
I also get shocked when I see people dodging potholes on roads in the town. This makes me think there is something wrong with budgetary policies. Therefore there is need to fight corruption. In fact there is still a lot to be done to improve the livelihood of the people in this constituency and the region. I have the plans ready in my manifesto. Until these problems are solved, I would not say we are moving forward.
If the NRM wins the elections will you work freely with the government?
The government of Uganda has a duty to protect its citizens and to foster development in all parts of the country irrespective of where it enjoys support. I am ready to work with the government on issues that affect my constituency and the region. But I will oppose all activities and policies that are irrelevant to the development of this nation.
How would you reconcile UPC factions?
That is the work of the party’s reconciliation committee.