Battle for Iganga draws 30
Jun 11, 2010
The election year, 2011, is around the corner. Incumbents will struggle to retain their seats while many others will vie to replace them.
By George Bita
The election year, 2011, is around the corner. Incumbents will struggle to retain their seats while many others will vie to replace them.
The contests will cut across; from president, parliamentary constituencies to local government. As the temperatures begin to rise, Saturday Vision puts a barometer on the political climate; analysing the aspirants and the issues that are likely to influence voter choices
the race for 2011 in Iganga Municipality may attract the highest number of contenders. It looks like each day, someone appends their name to the list, which has reached 30, and is still counting.
The elevation of Iganga town to a municipality has seen the creation of another constituency needing political representation.
Notable politicians competing include former LC5 chief George Patrick Bageya, district FDC boss-turned-NRM member Yona Ibanda and the Iganga hospital medical superintendent, Muhammad Lubega.
All the serious contestants belong to the ruling party and it may be the NRM primaries later this year to decide who takes the day.
To non-residents, Bageya is simply a former Policeman, guerilla or ex-Busia resident district commissioner. But the people of Iganga know him better as ensolo (beast) for his unrelenting struggle to throw then Vice-President Specioza Wandira out of Busoga politics.
At the height of the political standoff, Bageya was accused of boxing the late minister, Basoga Nsadhu, who was then a close associate of Kazibwe, and they settled the issue in court.
Bageya is a crowd-puller and a gifted orator who portrays a confident personality, which has been viewed by some critics as arrogance.
“I am a soldier and once duty calls I respond accordingly. I did that part as district councillor in 1989 and later in the 1994 Constituent Assembly. I am the longest serving politician among the contestants,†Bageya boasts.
In 2006, he contested for the Kigulu South MP seat and lost by a margin of 700 votes.
He is most popular, especially in the urban areas. Iganga residents remember him for his generosity. He often gave jobless youth his Mercedes Benz to enjoy the comfort of driving an expensive car.
Bageya’s challenger in the primaries, Yona Ibanda, has been the FDC district chairperson, until recently when he crossed over to the NRM.
The fresh convert put a wide smile on secretary general Amama Mbabazi’s face when he was paraded before him at Crested Crane Hotel in Jinja town during an NRM party function.
He is a district councillor, teacher at King of Kings S.S. and lecturer at Busoga University. In 2001, Ibanda took on Kazibwe for the Kigulu South seat but failed to make it.
The grapevine has it that a deal was struck between Ibanda and the NRM bigwigs that he would be fronted for the municipality seat on defection from FDC.
Ibanda’s stint in the opposition may be his undoing as some members have not yet welcomed him back with open hands.
Muhammad Lubega is a new face in politics.
He is credited with an attempt to start a medical school at Busoga University.
During his short stay at the health facility, he has managed to ‘import’ young, energetic and attractive female nurses and this may win him reasonable votes.
With several aspirants still expressing interest, the list is far from over, atleast for now.
The election year, 2011, is around the corner. Incumbents will struggle to retain their seats while many others will vie to replace them.
The contests will cut across; from president, parliamentary constituencies to local government. As the temperatures begin to rise, Saturday Vision puts a barometer on the political climate; analysing the aspirants and the issues that are likely to influence voter choices
the race for 2011 in Iganga Municipality may attract the highest number of contenders. It looks like each day, someone appends their name to the list, which has reached 30, and is still counting.
The elevation of Iganga town to a municipality has seen the creation of another constituency needing political representation.
Notable politicians competing include former LC5 chief George Patrick Bageya, district FDC boss-turned-NRM member Yona Ibanda and the Iganga hospital medical superintendent, Muhammad Lubega.
All the serious contestants belong to the ruling party and it may be the NRM primaries later this year to decide who takes the day.
To non-residents, Bageya is simply a former Policeman, guerilla or ex-Busia resident district commissioner. But the people of Iganga know him better as ensolo (beast) for his unrelenting struggle to throw then Vice-President Specioza Wandira out of Busoga politics.
At the height of the political standoff, Bageya was accused of boxing the late minister, Basoga Nsadhu, who was then a close associate of Kazibwe, and they settled the issue in court.
Bageya is a crowd-puller and a gifted orator who portrays a confident personality, which has been viewed by some critics as arrogance.
“I am a soldier and once duty calls I respond accordingly. I did that part as district councillor in 1989 and later in the 1994 Constituent Assembly. I am the longest serving politician among the contestants,†Bageya boasts.
In 2006, he contested for the Kigulu South MP seat and lost by a margin of 700 votes.
He is most popular, especially in the urban areas. Iganga residents remember him for his generosity. He often gave jobless youth his Mercedes Benz to enjoy the comfort of driving an expensive car.
Bageya’s challenger in the primaries, Yona Ibanda, has been the FDC district chairperson, until recently when he crossed over to the NRM.
The fresh convert put a wide smile on secretary general Amama Mbabazi’s face when he was paraded before him at Crested Crane Hotel in Jinja town during an NRM party function.
He is a district councillor, teacher at King of Kings S.S. and lecturer at Busoga University. In 2001, Ibanda took on Kazibwe for the Kigulu South seat but failed to make it.
The grapevine has it that a deal was struck between Ibanda and the NRM bigwigs that he would be fronted for the municipality seat on defection from FDC.
Ibanda’s stint in the opposition may be his undoing as some members have not yet welcomed him back with open hands.
Muhammad Lubega is a new face in politics.
He is credited with an attempt to start a medical school at Busoga University.
During his short stay at the health facility, he has managed to ‘import’ young, energetic and attractive female nurses and this may win him reasonable votes.
With several aspirants still expressing interest, the list is far from over, atleast for now.