Who will fit into Ssebunya’s shoes?

Nov 17, 2008

If you want to listen and dance to unsolicited kadoodi (Gishu circumcision dance) or bakisimba (Kiganda traditional dance), the place to be is Kyadondo North. Campaigns for the by-elections, to replace Dr. Kibirige Ssebunya, who passed away early last month, are in high gear.

By Joshua Kato

If you want to listen and dance to unsolicited kadoodi (Gishu circumcision dance) or bakisimba (Kiganda traditional dance), the place to be is Kyadondo North. Campaigns for the by-elections, to replace Dr. Kibirige Ssebunya, who passed away early last month, are in high gear. Almost all the eight candidates have dance troupes and music to accompany them on the campaign trail.

The four leading contestants for the December 4 election are Regina Bakitte (DP), Robert Kasule Ssebunya (NRM), Pallyne Grace Nakabuye (FDC-Inter-party Coalition) and Ssentamu Ssewandagi (PPP)

Kyadondo North is located in Wakiso district, north of Kampala. Its main thrust starts after Mile Five (Kutaano) on the Kampala-Gulu highway. It borders Wakiso and Mpigi and goes as far as Gombe and Matugga. Gombe sub-county is of particular significance to the NRM regime, since it was the front-line area during the 1981-86 bush war. Very many battles were fought there, most of the time under the command of senior officer (now Brigadier ) Matayo Kyaligonza.

With a population of over 300,000 people, Kyadondo North’s issues are not any different from other areas. From poor roads, land wrangles in Busukuma, Gombe and Nabweru subcounties to security issues, the candidates are promising solutions.

In Gombe sub-county, the population depends on agriculture. However, the main road from Gombe to Matugga is in a sorry state. Although the Government is upgrading it, all the candidates have vowed to ‘force the Government to fix it’ as soon as possible.

When Kibirige took the seat in 1996, most of Kyadondo North was rural. However, through the years it has developed.

Urban areas tend to vote for the opposition but, in Kibirige, NRM had a personality who was very hard to hate. He always won it. Since NRM prides itself in winning in rural areas, they will once again look at Gombe sub-county for victory. The opposition has three strong candidates but it is hard to predict who will take the seat. We bring you the leading candidates.

Regina Bakitte (DP)
Although she is not well-known in the political arena, she was the runner-up to Kibirige in the 2006 race. The late minister beat her by 2,000 votes.

She poses a threat, especially in form of a sympathy vote for her effort. The 40-year-old works at the Nsambya Catholic Secretariat. She holds a degree in environmental management and a diploma in human resource management.

She is not only a local leader, but also a mobiliser for charity with the Nabagereka Trust Fund. DP stalwarts like John Ssebaana Kizito and Paul Ssemogerere are sharing the campaign platform with her.

Ssentamu Ssewandagi (PPP)
A teacher by profession, he has built a reputation by featuring on radio talk shows. He is currently the Wakiso district councillor for Nabweru sub-county and a member of Bidandi Ssali’s PPP.

Ssewandagi says as a councillor, he has created a link between the grassroots and the upper level of leadership. He says he will support all Buganda issues in Parliament. His disadvantage, however, is that he shares the Nansana home votes with FDC’s Pallyne Grace Nakabuye. Like his rivals, Ssewandagi has called on the amiable veteran politician Jaberi Bidandi Ssali to help him campaign.

Robert Kasule Ssebunya
When NRM chairman, President Yoweri Museveni, visited Kyadondo to campaign for him on November 11, Kasule looked gracious. There was no trace of political novice in his appearance. Kasule, son to the late incumbent, Kibirige Ssebunya, is making a political mark.

But he can only win if he emulates his father — moving and eating with the people.

“Yes, I am like him (his late father). I have all his traits. I like people. I like the grassroots population,” he says. His campaign posters are a combination of his and his father’s photos. And for now, the crowd loves him. “I have seen in him what I saw in his father,” President Museveni told supporters.

The fact that he is the only NRM candidate is to his advantage. Aged 39, Kasule has been working as an accountant with the National Water and Sewerage Corporation (NWSC).

Pallyne Grace Nakabuye
In the just concluded US presidential elections, John McCain, the Republican presidential hopeful named a very surprising running mate. She was Sarah Palin.

In the Kyadondo North by-elections, FDC named an equally surprising candidate, since most people had their eyes on veteran politician Ssebowa Kagulire. The candidate, 26-year-old Nakabuye, is well-known in the city’s partying circles.

Nakabuye is relatively new in politics. However, the FDC youth wing is giving her all the support they can muster. In fact, most of the youth leaders in the party have shared the platform with her during campaigns. She also has an added boost as the official candidate for the inter-party coalition which includes FDC, JEEMA, CP and UPC.

Nakabuye holds a bachelor’s degree in development studies. She has worked with Jubilee Insurance. She promises to change the face of Universal Primary Education, which she called “a very bad programme” at a press conference recently.

Like Kasule, Nakabuye hopes her party president, Rtd Col Dr Kizza Besigye, will soon visit the constituency and campaign for her.

Because of the momentum set by the leading political parties, the other candidates are almost invisible in the race.

They include Umur Katanku, Hamidi Nsubuga Kizito, John Kakonge, Amina Nakiyaga and Ismail Dumba.

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