Best, Worst of 2003
<b>End of year list of cheers, jeers</b><br>December 31 not only marks the end of the month but also the year. So it is the right day to look back and ask who are the best and worst of 2003. The New Vision readers have the answers. At the end of every year, they are invited to participate in naming
End of year list of cheers, jeers
December 31 not only marks the end of the month but also the year. So it is the right day to look back and ask who are the best and worst of 2003. The New Vision readers have the answers. At the end of every year, they are invited to participate in naming the best and the worst. This year, a total of 6,166 responses were submitted, but only 4,287 were considered. A total of 1,879 multiple entries were disqualified from the tally, David Mukholi writes
Man of the Year
Good leadership, fight against HIV/AIDS, inviting investors to Uganda are some of the reasons advanced by 1,731 readers voting President Yoweri Museveni Man of the Year.
Several readers commended Museveni for the political stability, economic development and camping in northern and eastern Uganda to co-ordinate the war against the Lord’s Resistance Army. Other reasons given were –– he is a good president and that he hosted US President George Bush.
One reader put it dramatically “No Change Museveni†as reason for his support. Opening the political space, accepting to transform the Movement into a political party and proposing Federo for Buganda are other praises that earned Museveni the crown for the seventh year in a row.
Museveni beat 74 contestant for the position. Among them is Michael Ezra, a businessman who collected 774 votes for supporting sports. He was unanimously singled out for committing his own funds to promote athletics and boxing.
In third position is former Big Brother Africa housemate Gaetano Kaggwa. With 168 votes, he is praised for carrying Uganda’s flag high in the BBA house. Some said he brought world attention to Uganda. Others praised him for taking up a role in the fight against HIV/AIDS.
Pastor George Okudi of Wipolo fame follows with 141. Most readers voted him for winning the Kora Awards of the Best African Male Artiste and Best East African male artiste.
The Vice-President Prof. Gilbert Bukenya collected 53 votes, several hundreds less than his boss. Most readers praised him for his development vision of transforming Uganda. Others commended him for becoming a Vice- President and working well with President Yoweri Museveni. All the other candidates got under 35 votes.
Notable among them is the Kabaka of Buganda Ronald Mwenda Mutebi with 32 votes by virtue of being the head of Buganda Kingdom. Lubaga South MP Ken Lukyamuzi gathered 26 votes for being a voice of the people and an environmentalist. Some commended him for exposing undemocratic principles in the Movement.
The Woman of the Year
This is none other than Justice Julia Ssebutinde. The New Vision readers still remember her role in probing corruption. It is for this reason that 973 voted her. Several cited the URA and Junk helicopters’ probes although they did not take place this year. it seems readers are still tantalised by her performance. She beat 68 women for this slot.
With 543 votes, the First Lady Janet Museveni takes the second position in the race. She is recognised for her work among youth groups in promoting responsible living and the fight against HIV/AIDS. Her concern for orphans and widows is also popular among the readers.
Some said she is a good example to parents. One reader preferred to pick her because she is a “wife to a good president.†Another said she is calm and cool headed. Someone said she is “not controversial.â€
The Nnabagereka of Buganda Sylivia Nagginda got 237 for her charity work. Several noted her effort in fighting for the rights of the girl-child. Others picked her for drive to raise assistance for the disadvantaged children.
The Minister of state for defence Hon. Ruth Nankabirwa is fourth with 136 votes. It is not easy for a woman to work in the ministry of defence but she has managed several said. She is courageous, she has flown to the war zone and talks tough in parliament said some readers.
The rest of the contestants scored less than a hundred. Prominent among them is Former Vice-President Specioza Wandira Kazibwe for choosing to resign peacefully. Mbarara Municipality MP Winnie Byanyima got 75 for being an advocate for democracy, human rights and corruption.
The Worst Woman:
Out of 57 candidates Makerere University don, Dr. Sylivia Tamale emerges the winner –– 717 voted her. Her sin being going against African traditions by supporting striptease popularly known as ebimasuulo, gays and prostitutes.
Winnie Byanyima is runner up. Although 75 voted for her into the Best Woman category, a significant 518 got her on the Worst Woman ballot. A wide-range of issues came up against her. A good number wondered why she is quiet. She is no longer vocal, not heard in parliament, abandoned the cause are some of the reasons given for her being the worst. Others picked her for deserting the Movement government and unfairly opposing the government.
She is not Ugandan but got voted to compete in this despicable category. Abby Plaatjes, former BBA housemate got 300 votes for enticing Gaetano into having sex with her. Several called her ugly names. Other said she was dressed indecently when she came to Uganda to visit her “in -laws.â€
Dr. Specioza Kazibwe could have featured among the best but did not survive mention among the worst too. And she gathered 102 as the worst woman for initiating a divorce suit against her husband Eng. Charles Kazibwe. To some it was about politics. They were unhappy with her resignation –– denying the women the number two positions in Uganda’s politics. Some complained that she is quiet.
Other contestants got less than 102 votes notable is Mbarara Municipality Woman MP Miria Matembe who secured 101 unanimously for being very critical of President Museveni after she was dropped from cabinet. Following her is State Minister of Industry Hon. Jennifer Namuyangu with 77 votes for being disrespectful of Cardinal Emmanuel Wamala.
The Worst Man
The LRA rebel chief, Joseph Kony, grabs the top prize for the worst man because of the mayhem and havoc in northern and eastern Uganda. Readers unanimously said he is a killer, murderer and rapist. Others labelled him a cannibal and child molester. The measure of the hatred towards him is reflected in the figures –– 2,005 voted him the worst. He beat all the other 34 competitors thoroughly.
Although he got the third position in the race for the best man of 2003, a significant majority pulled him to become a runner up of Kony. Gaetano Kaggwa was voted by 984 for having sex on a reality TV show.
Ken Lukyamuzi also made it to the worst side –– 131 held him responsible for a number of reasons, some of which are; de-campaigning the construction of the Bujagali Power Dam, being an environmentalist living in a wetland, unreasonably opposing government and slow development in Lubaga South.
The rest of the contestants had fewer than 33 votes. Among them is former presidential candidate Col. Dr Kizza Besigye with 28 votes for “planning to wage war against Uganda.â€
Even with his landslide lead as the best man of the year, 20 thought Museveni is not. The reasons given include planning to rule for a third term, the unending war in the north and there was one who said allowing the return of political parties. However, 33 thought the worst man cannot be a Ugandan and zeroed on Saddam Hussein, the former president of Iraq.
December 31 not only marks the end of the month but also the year. So it is the right day to look back and ask who are the best and worst of 2003. The New Vision readers have the answers. At the end of every year, they are invited to participate in naming the best and the worst. This year, a total of 6,166 responses were submitted, but only 4,287 were considered. A total of 1,879 multiple entries were disqualified from the tally, David Mukholi writes
Man of the Year
Good leadership, fight against HIV/AIDS, inviting investors to Uganda are some of the reasons advanced by 1,731 readers voting President Yoweri Museveni Man of the Year.
Several readers commended Museveni for the political stability, economic development and camping in northern and eastern Uganda to co-ordinate the war against the Lord’s Resistance Army. Other reasons given were –– he is a good president and that he hosted US President George Bush.
One reader put it dramatically “No Change Museveni†as reason for his support. Opening the political space, accepting to transform the Movement into a political party and proposing Federo for Buganda are other praises that earned Museveni the crown for the seventh year in a row.
Museveni beat 74 contestant for the position. Among them is Michael Ezra, a businessman who collected 774 votes for supporting sports. He was unanimously singled out for committing his own funds to promote athletics and boxing.
In third position is former Big Brother Africa housemate Gaetano Kaggwa. With 168 votes, he is praised for carrying Uganda’s flag high in the BBA house. Some said he brought world attention to Uganda. Others praised him for taking up a role in the fight against HIV/AIDS.
Pastor George Okudi of Wipolo fame follows with 141. Most readers voted him for winning the Kora Awards of the Best African Male Artiste and Best East African male artiste.
The Vice-President Prof. Gilbert Bukenya collected 53 votes, several hundreds less than his boss. Most readers praised him for his development vision of transforming Uganda. Others commended him for becoming a Vice- President and working well with President Yoweri Museveni. All the other candidates got under 35 votes.
Notable among them is the Kabaka of Buganda Ronald Mwenda Mutebi with 32 votes by virtue of being the head of Buganda Kingdom. Lubaga South MP Ken Lukyamuzi gathered 26 votes for being a voice of the people and an environmentalist. Some commended him for exposing undemocratic principles in the Movement.
The Woman of the Year
This is none other than Justice Julia Ssebutinde. The New Vision readers still remember her role in probing corruption. It is for this reason that 973 voted her. Several cited the URA and Junk helicopters’ probes although they did not take place this year. it seems readers are still tantalised by her performance. She beat 68 women for this slot.
With 543 votes, the First Lady Janet Museveni takes the second position in the race. She is recognised for her work among youth groups in promoting responsible living and the fight against HIV/AIDS. Her concern for orphans and widows is also popular among the readers.
Some said she is a good example to parents. One reader preferred to pick her because she is a “wife to a good president.†Another said she is calm and cool headed. Someone said she is “not controversial.â€
The Nnabagereka of Buganda Sylivia Nagginda got 237 for her charity work. Several noted her effort in fighting for the rights of the girl-child. Others picked her for drive to raise assistance for the disadvantaged children.
The Minister of state for defence Hon. Ruth Nankabirwa is fourth with 136 votes. It is not easy for a woman to work in the ministry of defence but she has managed several said. She is courageous, she has flown to the war zone and talks tough in parliament said some readers.
The rest of the contestants scored less than a hundred. Prominent among them is Former Vice-President Specioza Wandira Kazibwe for choosing to resign peacefully. Mbarara Municipality MP Winnie Byanyima got 75 for being an advocate for democracy, human rights and corruption.
The Worst Woman:
Out of 57 candidates Makerere University don, Dr. Sylivia Tamale emerges the winner –– 717 voted her. Her sin being going against African traditions by supporting striptease popularly known as ebimasuulo, gays and prostitutes.
Winnie Byanyima is runner up. Although 75 voted for her into the Best Woman category, a significant 518 got her on the Worst Woman ballot. A wide-range of issues came up against her. A good number wondered why she is quiet. She is no longer vocal, not heard in parliament, abandoned the cause are some of the reasons given for her being the worst. Others picked her for deserting the Movement government and unfairly opposing the government.
She is not Ugandan but got voted to compete in this despicable category. Abby Plaatjes, former BBA housemate got 300 votes for enticing Gaetano into having sex with her. Several called her ugly names. Other said she was dressed indecently when she came to Uganda to visit her “in -laws.â€
Dr. Specioza Kazibwe could have featured among the best but did not survive mention among the worst too. And she gathered 102 as the worst woman for initiating a divorce suit against her husband Eng. Charles Kazibwe. To some it was about politics. They were unhappy with her resignation –– denying the women the number two positions in Uganda’s politics. Some complained that she is quiet.
Other contestants got less than 102 votes notable is Mbarara Municipality Woman MP Miria Matembe who secured 101 unanimously for being very critical of President Museveni after she was dropped from cabinet. Following her is State Minister of Industry Hon. Jennifer Namuyangu with 77 votes for being disrespectful of Cardinal Emmanuel Wamala.
The Worst Man
The LRA rebel chief, Joseph Kony, grabs the top prize for the worst man because of the mayhem and havoc in northern and eastern Uganda. Readers unanimously said he is a killer, murderer and rapist. Others labelled him a cannibal and child molester. The measure of the hatred towards him is reflected in the figures –– 2,005 voted him the worst. He beat all the other 34 competitors thoroughly.
Although he got the third position in the race for the best man of 2003, a significant majority pulled him to become a runner up of Kony. Gaetano Kaggwa was voted by 984 for having sex on a reality TV show.
Ken Lukyamuzi also made it to the worst side –– 131 held him responsible for a number of reasons, some of which are; de-campaigning the construction of the Bujagali Power Dam, being an environmentalist living in a wetland, unreasonably opposing government and slow development in Lubaga South.
The rest of the contestants had fewer than 33 votes. Among them is former presidential candidate Col. Dr Kizza Besigye with 28 votes for “planning to wage war against Uganda.â€
Even with his landslide lead as the best man of the year, 20 thought Museveni is not. The reasons given include planning to rule for a third term, the unending war in the north and there was one who said allowing the return of political parties. However, 33 thought the worst man cannot be a Ugandan and zeroed on Saddam Hussein, the former president of Iraq.