Bubulo, Jonam Kibale seats promise exciting campaigns
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 baromete
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
BUBULO West, MANAFWa district
THE incumbent, Fred Bukeni Gyabi (NRM) is not afraid of competition. “I warmly welcome those who want to contest. I have been working while they campaign. The electorate will choose the NRM flag bearer.â€
Three aspirants are ‘consulting’ the people to find out if they should stand. They are Bududa Resident District Commissioner Sylvester Wanjusi-Wasieba, a seasoned politician, Tony Kipoi, a businessman and former Kotido RDC Damascus Munyanda.
Wasieba has been in and out of parliament over the years, having represented Bubulo West and Mbale Municipality respectively.
“The people of Bubulo know my record of delivering government programmes. I have consulted the grassroots and I have been encouraged to offer myself for election as the NRM flag bearer in the primaries,†Wasieba said.
“I am going to resign my post as RDC and there will be no turning back,†he vowed. Kipoi runs businesses in Botswana and South Africa and claims to have converted about 300 Forum for Democratic Change (FDC) supporters to the NRM recently.
Kipoi, of Bugobero sub-county, says the current leadership has not delivered government programmes to the community. “I am a man of the people and my interaction with them shows that they trust and have confidence in me to do what Bukeni has failed to do.â€
Kipoi promises to fund organised groups to promote agriculture and food security. Munyanda, 67, who left the Democratic Party for NRM, is an outspoken politician from Butiru sub-county. He lost to Bukeni in 2006.
He says Bukeni has failed to fulfill three duties the voters assigned him. “We asked Bukeni to ensure that the Government extends power to Lwakhakha border, that the Mbale–Lwakhakha road be tarmacked and a gravity water scheme set up.
“I want to fight corruption not only in Manafwa, but the country at large, as this is the last time I will engage in elective politics.†He adds that he will ask the Government to scrap the National Agricultural Advisory Services programme, because it benefits a few people who have access to the funds.
He says he would replace it with a subsidy scheme for farm inputs and mechanisation of agriculture. Munyanda says the constituency is occupied by the children of Wakoko, Mutiru and Kobero and are united under a group called Sukuya Namwombe in the original sub-counties, yet Bugobero sub-county has dominated political leadership over the years.
He observes that it is Butiru sub-county’s turn to send a representative to Parliament and urges Wanjusi-Wasieba to consider running for the LC5 chair instead.Â
Other aspiring candidates are Rex Wangolo, Kigai Mwisaka, Paul Butita, the son of the late Edward Wesonga, who was the area MP in the seventh parliament.
Voters want a candidate who will address poverty reduction, improvement of health services, better road network, boosting education standards and job creation for the unemployed youth.
Â
Kibaale county, Kamwenge district Frank Tumwebaze will face two challengers, Aggrey Natuhamya and Emmanuel Twinematsiko.
Natuhamya, 41, a teacher, resigned last year to concentrate on campaigns. Twinematsiko is a lecturer at Kyambogo and Ndejje universities.
Twinemasiko, 33, says: “people have seen that I can and I am sure I will win despite my age.â€
He adds that he wants to transform the education sector and economy in Kibale.
Natuhamya, who has been an inspector of schools, has the support of teachers and parents. He is a director of Oxford modern primary school in Biguri and is considered Tumwebaze’s main rival, after the chairman of the Uganda Broadcasting Council, Eng. Godfrey Mutabazi decided not to contest.
In 2008, Kibale politics were heated up when Mutabazi declared his intention to unseat Tumwebaze. Mutabazi, who owns Voice of Kigezi in Kabale and Voice of Kamwenge, was believed to be the only person who could give Tumwebaze sleepless nights.
Tumwebaze owns Rwenzori FM Efurembe Y’entuguka and his and Mutabazi’s political wars were being fought by presenters on their stations. Some Kibale residents say Tumwebaze has worked tirelessly to develop the area and with Mutabazi out of the way, he stands a good chance of winning the seat again.
“Mutabazi’s pulling out has kept Tumwebaze popular. He may get a second term,†Robinah Tiwangye, a resident of Kabuga, says. Gerald Tumwebaze, a local politician, says before 2006, Kibale county and Kamwenge district, had a number of outstanding pledges and unfulfilled promises by the Government and the President in particular, but Tumwebaze followed them up and monitored their implementation.
Political analysts say Tumwebaze’s abilities as a legislator and his capacity to follow up government programmes and pledges will influence voters to give him another term.
“He was ranked among the best MPs in the country by various assessment reports. I strongly believe that he is a legislator who has given his constituents and district a voice. Why would people refuse to vote such leader?†Patrick Nuwagaba of Nkoma asked.
Nuwagaba adds that Tumwebaze lobbied for sh8b for water installation in Kamwenge town council.
Before water was extended to Kamwenge town, residents used to buy a jerrycan of water at sh1,000 during the rainy season and sh2,500 and above in the dry season.
People also look at him as a patriotic and kind leader after he pushed government to give sh80m to families which lost their loved ones when a policeman went on rampage and killed people in Kamwenge town council.
A teacher by profession, Tumwebaze has also done a lot for the education sector. He says he used the sh10m annual constituency development fund and support from his friends from the USA, India and Australia to support schools in the district. With the fund, Tumwebaze equipped over 50 primary schools, 10 churches and five clinics with solar panels.
He also donated over 12 maize mills to women farmer groups of Mpanga, Bisozi, Kabambiro, Nyamashegwa, Ganyenda, Kyabandara, Rwenkuba, Biguri, Kabingo and Nkoni, among others.
Tumwebaze built two maternity wards and a children’s block at Kabuga health unit, the first of its kind in the community. He is also constructing two more health units in Nyamashegwa and Malere, which may win him more votes from women.
Tumwebaze has assisted about 300 orphans with scholastic materials and blankets in Kyakarafu, Kiyagara, Busiriba, Kanimi and Kinoni in Kahunge sub-county.
Jonam County, nebbi district
The state minister for finance, Fred Jachan Omach, will have a showdown with the youthful Apollo Onegi-Obel (also of NRM) and Emmy Ongyerto (FDC).
Onegi-Obel, 29, is a Kampala-based businessman and son of former county Constituent Assembly delegate, the late Onegi-Obel.
The older Onegi-Obel was the Bank of Uganda governor in the late 1970s and Uganda Commercial Bank managing director in the late 1980s. His elder brother, Geoffrey Onegi-Obel is the former NSSF chairperson and senior presidential advisor on AGOA.
His father was beaten by Omach in 2001. “In 2006, my father and I built a primary school in Pacego village and although government took it over, there is still a shortage of teachers and scholastic materials,†he says.
He is riding on discontent among the unemployed youth, saying he can relate to them. He also accuses Omach of failing to fulfil his election promises especially having electricity extended to the county.
“Even Padyere, a new county, has electricity,†he says, adding Pakwach has been isolated while neighbouring towns like Arua and Nebbi, have urbanised. Onegi-Obel has been organising football matches between sub-counties, where winners have walked away with jerseys and cell phones.
Ongyerto, on the other hand, is a civil society activist who was reportedly asked to step down in favour of Omach in 2001. Since then, he has been openly supporting Omach’s opponents and in 2006, campaigned for the late Alli Gabe Akida, the FDC flag-bearer who was beaten by over 4,000 votes.
Although Nebbi (apart from Terego County) is represented by NRM legislators, FDC Chief Whip Kasiano Wadri says things will change. The Terego MP said NRM candidates won by a narrow margin in 2006 and next year, FDC will give them a run for their money.
But Omach is credited for finding markets for Moringa growers in his constituency. A kilogramme of the powder and seeds go for sh5,000 and sh1,000 respectively.
His critics, however, accuse him of ‘misleading’ farmers, citing the current low demand for Moringa.  Residents were also pleased with his efforts in lobbying for investors like the House of Dawda, which established a fruit processing factory in the constituency.
Omach boasts of having reduced the prevalence of bilharzia in Jonam from 70% in 2003 to 6% todate. “When the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation came to Uganda to fight bilharzia, I took them to my constituency,†Omach told Saturday Vision. “Now there is a group from Egypt that is coming to eradicate malaria in Uganda. It will help us eradicate bilharzia as well.â€
He says all government programmes like NAADS are doing well and he has supported different groups using the Constituency Development Fund.
Â
LUUKA county IN 2006, the Luuka County MP Dr. Johnny Bulamu (RIP) was disqualified over failure to get Uganda National Examinations Board (UNEB) certificates equivalent to his academic credentials.
This left only Meddie Mulumba as the contestant on the NRM ticket in the constituency that has metamorphosed into Luuka district. The astute businessman-turned-politician sailed through unopposed.
 But it may not be that easy again in 2011 as Iganga district water engineer Herbert Muwebwa (also NRM) has expressed interest in unseating him. Although opposition parties have not yet fielded candidates, they may do so before nominations.
Mulumba blundered when he ‘personalised’ the district, by going on record and informing constituents that “Luuka district came about because of me. Others have been there but failed to cause this to happenâ€.
He has a poor working relationship with district councillors except the speaker, Willy Magala, whom he is often seen moving with. Another weakness stems from organising constituency soccer matches under the infamous ‘Medi cup’ extravaganza.
Many constituents wondered how developmental it was to make impoverished footballers play soccer with the sole aim of making their MP more popular. Luuka remains the most under-developed area in the region of its mother district, Iganga, with impassable roads and no markets for farm produce.
According to voters, Mulumba should spend less time politicking on local FM radios and help his constituents solve problems. Mulumba also promised to have electricity extended to the constituency before 2011, but the people are still waiting as they choke on sooty fumes from tadoobas (local paraffin lamps). Mobilisation of the youth is also poor.
The young and energetic Muwebwa, resident of Namakakale village in Waibuga sub-county is, according to some opinion leaders, a practical solution to Luuka’s problems.
He has put up 20 community boreholes in different sub-counties in the last five years, using his own funds. “This engineer has a heart for the common man. Within the last five years, he has managed to educate over 50 underprivileged children out of his own pocket,†Faisal Kafuko, a resident of Busalaamu says.
He has also contributed towards the development of mosques and churches.  Muwebwa states that if the NRM primaries are ‘unfair’, he may stand on a non-partisan ticket.
But the engineer is new on the political stage and vote-hunting may be tough. The pathetic state of infrastructure could drive the locals choice of a representative.
Compiled by: Joseph Wanzusi, Ben Okiror, Hope Mafaranga and George Bita
BUBULO West, MANAFWa district
THE incumbent, Fred Bukeni Gyabi (NRM) is not afraid of competition. “I warmly welcome those who want to contest. I have been working while they campaign. The electorate will choose the NRM flag bearer.â€
Three aspirants are ‘consulting’ the people to find out if they should stand. They are Bududa Resident District Commissioner Sylvester Wanjusi-Wasieba, a seasoned politician, Tony Kipoi, a businessman and former Kotido RDC Damascus Munyanda.
Wasieba has been in and out of parliament over the years, having represented Bubulo West and Mbale Municipality respectively.
“The people of Bubulo know my record of delivering government programmes. I have consulted the grassroots and I have been encouraged to offer myself for election as the NRM flag bearer in the primaries,†Wasieba said.
“I am going to resign my post as RDC and there will be no turning back,†he vowed. Kipoi runs businesses in Botswana and South Africa and claims to have converted about 300 Forum for Democratic Change (FDC) supporters to the NRM recently.
Kipoi, of Bugobero sub-county, says the current leadership has not delivered government programmes to the community. “I am a man of the people and my interaction with them shows that they trust and have confidence in me to do what Bukeni has failed to do.â€
Kipoi promises to fund organised groups to promote agriculture and food security. Munyanda, 67, who left the Democratic Party for NRM, is an outspoken politician from Butiru sub-county. He lost to Bukeni in 2006.
He says Bukeni has failed to fulfill three duties the voters assigned him. “We asked Bukeni to ensure that the Government extends power to Lwakhakha border, that the Mbale–Lwakhakha road be tarmacked and a gravity water scheme set up.
“I want to fight corruption not only in Manafwa, but the country at large, as this is the last time I will engage in elective politics.†He adds that he will ask the Government to scrap the National Agricultural Advisory Services programme, because it benefits a few people who have access to the funds.
He says he would replace it with a subsidy scheme for farm inputs and mechanisation of agriculture. Munyanda says the constituency is occupied by the children of Wakoko, Mutiru and Kobero and are united under a group called Sukuya Namwombe in the original sub-counties, yet Bugobero sub-county has dominated political leadership over the years.
He observes that it is Butiru sub-county’s turn to send a representative to Parliament and urges Wanjusi-Wasieba to consider running for the LC5 chair instead.Â
Other aspiring candidates are Rex Wangolo, Kigai Mwisaka, Paul Butita, the son of the late Edward Wesonga, who was the area MP in the seventh parliament.
Voters want a candidate who will address poverty reduction, improvement of health services, better road network, boosting education standards and job creation for the unemployed youth.
Â
Kibaale county, Kamwenge district Frank Tumwebaze will face two challengers, Aggrey Natuhamya and Emmanuel Twinematsiko.
Natuhamya, 41, a teacher, resigned last year to concentrate on campaigns. Twinematsiko is a lecturer at Kyambogo and Ndejje universities.
Twinemasiko, 33, says: “people have seen that I can and I am sure I will win despite my age.â€
He adds that he wants to transform the education sector and economy in Kibale.
Natuhamya, who has been an inspector of schools, has the support of teachers and parents. He is a director of Oxford modern primary school in Biguri and is considered Tumwebaze’s main rival, after the chairman of the Uganda Broadcasting Council, Eng. Godfrey Mutabazi decided not to contest.
In 2008, Kibale politics were heated up when Mutabazi declared his intention to unseat Tumwebaze. Mutabazi, who owns Voice of Kigezi in Kabale and Voice of Kamwenge, was believed to be the only person who could give Tumwebaze sleepless nights.
Tumwebaze owns Rwenzori FM Efurembe Y’entuguka and his and Mutabazi’s political wars were being fought by presenters on their stations. Some Kibale residents say Tumwebaze has worked tirelessly to develop the area and with Mutabazi out of the way, he stands a good chance of winning the seat again.
“Mutabazi’s pulling out has kept Tumwebaze popular. He may get a second term,†Robinah Tiwangye, a resident of Kabuga, says. Gerald Tumwebaze, a local politician, says before 2006, Kibale county and Kamwenge district, had a number of outstanding pledges and unfulfilled promises by the Government and the President in particular, but Tumwebaze followed them up and monitored their implementation.
Political analysts say Tumwebaze’s abilities as a legislator and his capacity to follow up government programmes and pledges will influence voters to give him another term.
“He was ranked among the best MPs in the country by various assessment reports. I strongly believe that he is a legislator who has given his constituents and district a voice. Why would people refuse to vote such leader?†Patrick Nuwagaba of Nkoma asked.
Nuwagaba adds that Tumwebaze lobbied for sh8b for water installation in Kamwenge town council.
Before water was extended to Kamwenge town, residents used to buy a jerrycan of water at sh1,000 during the rainy season and sh2,500 and above in the dry season.
People also look at him as a patriotic and kind leader after he pushed government to give sh80m to families which lost their loved ones when a policeman went on rampage and killed people in Kamwenge town council.
A teacher by profession, Tumwebaze has also done a lot for the education sector. He says he used the sh10m annual constituency development fund and support from his friends from the USA, India and Australia to support schools in the district. With the fund, Tumwebaze equipped over 50 primary schools, 10 churches and five clinics with solar panels.
He also donated over 12 maize mills to women farmer groups of Mpanga, Bisozi, Kabambiro, Nyamashegwa, Ganyenda, Kyabandara, Rwenkuba, Biguri, Kabingo and Nkoni, among others.
Tumwebaze built two maternity wards and a children’s block at Kabuga health unit, the first of its kind in the community. He is also constructing two more health units in Nyamashegwa and Malere, which may win him more votes from women.
Tumwebaze has assisted about 300 orphans with scholastic materials and blankets in Kyakarafu, Kiyagara, Busiriba, Kanimi and Kinoni in Kahunge sub-county.
Jonam County, nebbi district
The state minister for finance, Fred Jachan Omach, will have a showdown with the youthful Apollo Onegi-Obel (also of NRM) and Emmy Ongyerto (FDC).
Onegi-Obel, 29, is a Kampala-based businessman and son of former county Constituent Assembly delegate, the late Onegi-Obel.
The older Onegi-Obel was the Bank of Uganda governor in the late 1970s and Uganda Commercial Bank managing director in the late 1980s. His elder brother, Geoffrey Onegi-Obel is the former NSSF chairperson and senior presidential advisor on AGOA.
His father was beaten by Omach in 2001. “In 2006, my father and I built a primary school in Pacego village and although government took it over, there is still a shortage of teachers and scholastic materials,†he says.
He is riding on discontent among the unemployed youth, saying he can relate to them. He also accuses Omach of failing to fulfil his election promises especially having electricity extended to the county.
“Even Padyere, a new county, has electricity,†he says, adding Pakwach has been isolated while neighbouring towns like Arua and Nebbi, have urbanised. Onegi-Obel has been organising football matches between sub-counties, where winners have walked away with jerseys and cell phones.
Ongyerto, on the other hand, is a civil society activist who was reportedly asked to step down in favour of Omach in 2001. Since then, he has been openly supporting Omach’s opponents and in 2006, campaigned for the late Alli Gabe Akida, the FDC flag-bearer who was beaten by over 4,000 votes.
Although Nebbi (apart from Terego County) is represented by NRM legislators, FDC Chief Whip Kasiano Wadri says things will change. The Terego MP said NRM candidates won by a narrow margin in 2006 and next year, FDC will give them a run for their money.
But Omach is credited for finding markets for Moringa growers in his constituency. A kilogramme of the powder and seeds go for sh5,000 and sh1,000 respectively.
His critics, however, accuse him of ‘misleading’ farmers, citing the current low demand for Moringa.  Residents were also pleased with his efforts in lobbying for investors like the House of Dawda, which established a fruit processing factory in the constituency.
Omach boasts of having reduced the prevalence of bilharzia in Jonam from 70% in 2003 to 6% todate. “When the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation came to Uganda to fight bilharzia, I took them to my constituency,†Omach told Saturday Vision. “Now there is a group from Egypt that is coming to eradicate malaria in Uganda. It will help us eradicate bilharzia as well.â€
He says all government programmes like NAADS are doing well and he has supported different groups using the Constituency Development Fund.
Â
LUUKA county IN 2006, the Luuka County MP Dr. Johnny Bulamu (RIP) was disqualified over failure to get Uganda National Examinations Board (UNEB) certificates equivalent to his academic credentials.
This left only Meddie Mulumba as the contestant on the NRM ticket in the constituency that has metamorphosed into Luuka district. The astute businessman-turned-politician sailed through unopposed.
 But it may not be that easy again in 2011 as Iganga district water engineer Herbert Muwebwa (also NRM) has expressed interest in unseating him. Although opposition parties have not yet fielded candidates, they may do so before nominations.
Mulumba blundered when he ‘personalised’ the district, by going on record and informing constituents that “Luuka district came about because of me. Others have been there but failed to cause this to happenâ€.
He has a poor working relationship with district councillors except the speaker, Willy Magala, whom he is often seen moving with. Another weakness stems from organising constituency soccer matches under the infamous ‘Medi cup’ extravaganza.
Many constituents wondered how developmental it was to make impoverished footballers play soccer with the sole aim of making their MP more popular. Luuka remains the most under-developed area in the region of its mother district, Iganga, with impassable roads and no markets for farm produce.
According to voters, Mulumba should spend less time politicking on local FM radios and help his constituents solve problems. Mulumba also promised to have electricity extended to the constituency before 2011, but the people are still waiting as they choke on sooty fumes from tadoobas (local paraffin lamps). Mobilisation of the youth is also poor.
The young and energetic Muwebwa, resident of Namakakale village in Waibuga sub-county is, according to some opinion leaders, a practical solution to Luuka’s problems.
He has put up 20 community boreholes in different sub-counties in the last five years, using his own funds. “This engineer has a heart for the common man. Within the last five years, he has managed to educate over 50 underprivileged children out of his own pocket,†Faisal Kafuko, a resident of Busalaamu says.
He has also contributed towards the development of mosques and churches.  Muwebwa states that if the NRM primaries are ‘unfair’, he may stand on a non-partisan ticket.
But the engineer is new on the political stage and vote-hunting may be tough. The pathetic state of infrastructure could drive the locals choice of a representative.
Compiled by: Joseph Wanzusi, Ben Okiror, Hope Mafaranga and George Bita