I’ll boost youth, women projects â€" Samia MP

Jan 14, 2008

SARAH Mwebaza, the wife to the former MP, Stephen Wasike Mugeni was on January 8, declared the new MP for Samia Bugwe North in Busia district. The NRM candidate polled 12,806( 44.2%) defeating her three opponents in the by –election. <b>Daniel Edyegu</b> and <b>Egessa Hajusu</b> interviewed her on

SARAH Mwebaza, the wife to the former MP, Stephen Wasike Mugeni was on January 8, declared the new MP for Samia Bugwe North in Busia district. The NRM candidate polled 12,806( 44.2%) defeating her three opponents in the by –election. Daniel Edyegu and Egessa Hajusu interviewed her on how she made it and her plans for the constituency.


Question: What major factors contributed to your win?
Answer: The unity among the party members. Some party leaders like the NRM secretary general, Amama Mbabazi, his deputy, Dorothy Hyuha, the Busia Woman MP, Rose Munyira and many others camped in the constituency to canvass votes for me. It wouldn’t have been easy if they had abandoned me to tow the race alone.

What did President Yoweri Museveni's campaign visit do to change the ground for you?

Before the President came, our camp was divided. Whereas I was the legitimate NRM candidate, some people went on spreading rumours that the President had endorsed the independent candidate, Nathan Wabwire. Museveni came out clearly that he was backing me. That was enough re-assurance for those who had doubts about my NRM candidature and culminated into my success.

What are your immediate plans for the constituency?

I have noticed that most of the youth and women are in the opposition due to financial constraints as a result of unemployment.
To woo them back to the NRM, I have planned to lobby for funds from a certain embassy that I can not disclose at the moment.
That money will be used to set up income-generating projects for the youth and women such as rearing chicken, growing oranges and starting small-scale businesses, something they can rely on to get money instead of just waiting for Government jobs.

You are a Mugweri going to represent Basamia and this almost cost you the seat during campaigns. How do you hope to go about this?


True, I’m a Mugweri from Lyama village in Kibuku county, Pallisa district. But I’m married to Stephen Wasike Mugeni (former MP Samia Bugwe North) and we have four children, two boys and two girls. According to the Samia Bagwe culture, when a woman marries a man in the clan, she’s initiated into that clan and becomes part of it to an extent that even when she dies from their ancestral home, the body has to be transported back for burial at the home of the husband.
So, while I’m a Mugweri by birth, I’m actually a Samia by marriage and I’m going to represent the interests of the Samia-Bagwe people not the Bagweri.

Busia main market is in a sorry state. What plans do you have to uplift the status of that market?

On his campaign visit to the district this month, President Museveni promised to send us funds to renovate that market.
I will follow up the issue with the President to ensure that the Government sends us the money to do the work.

Tell us a bout your education history.
I did my Primary Leaving Examinations in 1987 at Kakutu Primary School in Pallisa district. I joined Busoga High School, where I sat my O’ level examinations in 1991. But the results were not good so I re-sat O’ level at Kamonkoli College in 1992. In 1993, I joined Kiira Academy in Jinja but was prompted to temporarily abandon the studies because my parents were poor and could not afford the school fees.

I went back for A’ level at Busia S.S in 1994 and did final exams the following year. I then joined Bugema University, where I graduated with a BA in Education (History).

What message do you have for your opponents who lost in the race?
For the Forum for Democratic Change (FDC) I advise them to concede defeat. It is on record that FDC has never won any parliamentary race in Samia-Bugwe North.
If they really intend to contest that seat again in the near future, let them start laying the foundation now, by say, doing something for the constituency that they can refer to in the time of the elections instead of just being aggressive.

To the independent candidate, I appeal to him to come back to the fold. However, this is the time for us to cast aside our political differences and work for the development of the constituency.

What else do you feel the electorate should know?

Campaigns are over and you have entrusted me with the mandate to represent your views in Parliament. Let us now embark on our daily economic activities.

Farmers must start preparing gardens for the rainy season and businessmen must continue with their work. The development of this constituency depends on all of us and not an individual person.

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