Five candidates lock horns for Masindi Municipality
Aug 13, 2010
FIVE candidates have folded their sleeves to fight for the Masindi municipality seat. Three of them belong to the NRM and the others to FDC.
By Pascal Kwesiga
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FIVE candidates have folded their sleeves to fight for the Masindi municipality seat. Three of them belong to the NRM and the others to FDC.
The NRM candidates include Ernest Kiiza, Kenneth Atugonza and Sam Businge.
Kiiza boasts of setting up Ernest Publishers in 1992, immediately after graduating from Makerere University with a degree in forestry. He also owns Bunyoro Broadcasting Services, a local radio station. He says the radio has been mobilised people to participate in Government programmes.
The former Bunyoro Kingdom speaker (2002-2005), says his catchwords are unity and development. “I don’t want politics of division,†Kiiza says. He mentioned this in regard to the rift between supporters of the Minister of information, Kabakumba Masiko and those of the former district NRM secretary general, Steven Birija.
Kiiza, who was the Bunyoro region coordinator for Reform Agenda, FDC’s predecessor, denies having been a member of FDC as some of his opponents allege. “I never joined FDC. I was in Reform Agenda, when there were no political parties. However, I decided to join the NRM in 2003,†he says.
He explains that he left Reform Agenda for the NRM to ensure that some issues, such as poor service delivery in Bunyoro, could be sorted out. “Now roads such as Masindi-Kafu have been tarmacked,†Kiiza explains.
The second NRM candidate is Kenneth Atugonza. He holds masters degrees in business administration and finance. He is popular among the youth, especially after starting the Biribobwa football cup tournament in Bunyoro seven years ago.
Atugonza seems to have been rare on the ground, but has not deterred him. “Some people are saying I have been out of touch with the people. How come I have been running the biggest football tournament in the region?†he asked.
He says he set up the tournament to develop the talent of young footballers.
Atugonza promises to use the experience he gained while working with NGOs to address people’s problems.
He also plans to use part of his salary to set up a scholarship fund to pay tuition fees for needy, excellent students.
Sam Businge, the third NRM candidate, holds a bachelor’s degree in environmental science from Nkumba University.
He promises to lobby the Government to set up income-generating projects for the youth.
Meanwhile, FDC district leaders seem to be undecided on who to field for the race. Two people, including the party’s district co-ordinator, Sheikh Mohamud Katuramu and Moses Tugume, a lawyer, have declared their intentions to stand.
Tugume claims he has been endorsed by the district party leaders, but Katuramu says he will not be sidelined in a party he has served for years.
Katuramu, a lecturer of religious studies and philosophy at Kyambogo University, also holds a degree in religious studies from Saudi Arabia and a masters in social sciences from Moi University.
Tugume, on the other hand, has a degree in law from Makerere University and a post-graduate diploma from the Law Development Centre.
He was a state attorney at Makindye and Buganda Road courts before he set up a law firm in Masindi district in 2003.
He pledges to use his legal practice to settle the rampant land disputes in Bunyoro and advocate that the Government returns the kingdom’s properties.
 Â
FIVE candidates have folded their sleeves to fight for the Masindi municipality seat. Three of them belong to the NRM and the others to FDC.
The NRM candidates include Ernest Kiiza, Kenneth Atugonza and Sam Businge.
Kiiza boasts of setting up Ernest Publishers in 1992, immediately after graduating from Makerere University with a degree in forestry. He also owns Bunyoro Broadcasting Services, a local radio station. He says the radio has been mobilised people to participate in Government programmes.
The former Bunyoro Kingdom speaker (2002-2005), says his catchwords are unity and development. “I don’t want politics of division,†Kiiza says. He mentioned this in regard to the rift between supporters of the Minister of information, Kabakumba Masiko and those of the former district NRM secretary general, Steven Birija.
Kiiza, who was the Bunyoro region coordinator for Reform Agenda, FDC’s predecessor, denies having been a member of FDC as some of his opponents allege. “I never joined FDC. I was in Reform Agenda, when there were no political parties. However, I decided to join the NRM in 2003,†he says.
He explains that he left Reform Agenda for the NRM to ensure that some issues, such as poor service delivery in Bunyoro, could be sorted out. “Now roads such as Masindi-Kafu have been tarmacked,†Kiiza explains.
The second NRM candidate is Kenneth Atugonza. He holds masters degrees in business administration and finance. He is popular among the youth, especially after starting the Biribobwa football cup tournament in Bunyoro seven years ago.
Atugonza seems to have been rare on the ground, but has not deterred him. “Some people are saying I have been out of touch with the people. How come I have been running the biggest football tournament in the region?†he asked.
He says he set up the tournament to develop the talent of young footballers.
Atugonza promises to use the experience he gained while working with NGOs to address people’s problems.
He also plans to use part of his salary to set up a scholarship fund to pay tuition fees for needy, excellent students.
Sam Businge, the third NRM candidate, holds a bachelor’s degree in environmental science from Nkumba University.
He promises to lobby the Government to set up income-generating projects for the youth.
Meanwhile, FDC district leaders seem to be undecided on who to field for the race. Two people, including the party’s district co-ordinator, Sheikh Mohamud Katuramu and Moses Tugume, a lawyer, have declared their intentions to stand.
Tugume claims he has been endorsed by the district party leaders, but Katuramu says he will not be sidelined in a party he has served for years.
Katuramu, a lecturer of religious studies and philosophy at Kyambogo University, also holds a degree in religious studies from Saudi Arabia and a masters in social sciences from Moi University.
Tugume, on the other hand, has a degree in law from Makerere University and a post-graduate diploma from the Law Development Centre.
He was a state attorney at Makindye and Buganda Road courts before he set up a law firm in Masindi district in 2003.
He pledges to use his legal practice to settle the rampant land disputes in Bunyoro and advocate that the Government returns the kingdom’s properties.