Can Amelia Kyambadde take Mawokota North?
Mar 05, 2010
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...
Mawokota North, Mpigi district
PERHAPS one of the most highly-billed political contests to watch in the 2011 parliamentary elections is the battle for the Mawokota North constituency.
Although it is yet to be officially acknowledged, one of the most public of secrets is that the Presidential Private Secretary, Amelia Kyambadde, will face off with incumbent Claver Mutuluuza.
The MP has taken the news with trepidation. The several highly publicised development projects Kyambadde has set up in the constituency have delighted residents, who say Mutuluuza has nothing to show for two terms in Parliament.
But State House denies that Kyambadde intends to stand.
Mutuluza, on the other hand, should not be written off just yet. The defiant veteran legislator, in a brave show of resilience, has repeatedly vowed to defeat Kyambadde. He told the press in November that despite Kyambadde’s having worked closely with the President for decades, he has in the past defeated other powerful people.
“I am not scared at all because I have seen it all. Nothing will stop me from standing against Amelia because I know I will still win.â€
Mutuluuza made the remarks in the wake of a fundraising function in his constituency, during which prominent Kampala tycoons made huge donations to Kyambadde’s projects in Mawokota, as they called upon the residents to support her.
At the ceremony, Kyambadde did not say she would try her hand at a political career, but the people who attended were carrying her posters.
Kyambadde has largely been seen to be laying the foundation for her candidature by initiating development projects, although her critics accuse her of using state resources to do so.
When Mutuluza says powerful people do not frighten him, it is not without a foundation. In 2001 he was discouraged from standing against the late Zzimula Mugwanya, who was considered powerful and politically connected. But Mutuluza stood his ground and beat Mugwanya, to many people’s surprise. Mugwanya served as former Presidential Advisor and state minister for local government from 1996 to 2001. He was also MP for Mawokota North until 2001.
Whereas Kyambadde has not lauched a campaign, there are many cars in Kampala bearing her posters with the inscription Mawokota etokota, loosely translated as Mawokota is boiling.
The portrait showing a grinning Kyambadde fills three quarters of the poster, and below it, is the national flag and the NRM yellow bus logo. Kyambadde’s posters neither indicate the constituency she is interested in nor do they ask people to vote for her. Nevertheless, it leaves no one in doubt as to her intentions. In addition, a popular musician, “Dr. Hilderman, who comes from the same area, composed a song, Amelia, which has been playing on local radio stations.
When Kyambadde came under attack for reportedly claiming that government programmes were her own, President Museveni defended her saying he had sent her to the constituency to monitor the programmes.
During the President’s tour of NAADS projects in Mpigi district recently, Kyambadde got the much-needed endorsement in the consituency.
And at a rally at Kammengo, Kyambadde’s supporters arrived in a convoy of Pajero vehicles with the occupants chanting her name.
With the word okutokota literally meaning to boil, the slogan simply suggests that Mawokota is fired up and gearing up for new leadership. This leaves Mutuluuza with only one option, that of complaining to the President. “Mr. President, advise some people because they will embarrass themselves. The people of Mawokota still want me and they are not ready to vote me out of power.â€
But when the President was invited to open a road in the area, he told residents at Muduuma Seed School that Kyambadde had exposed the corruption in the construction of the 20km road from Kammengo to Buvumbo landing site. She has also enlisted the support of her business heavy-weight friends like Sudhir Ruparelia, Gordon Wavamunno and Godfrey Kirumira among others, to bolster her ambition.
Mutuluza denies reports that he was promised a big job and money if he stepped down. “I would not take such offers because I am sure of my support. The President wants to meet us to resolve this.â€
Since they are NRM party members, one has to lose in the primaries. Nevertheless, this race will be closely watched.
TORORO MUNICIPALITY
Momentum is high as the incumbent, Sanjay Tanna, seeks re-election against eight challengers.
Notable aspirants seeking to unseat him, include his long time political foe Apollo Yeri Ofwono (NRM), who lost the seat to Tanna in 2006, at the height of heated debates over the possible split of Tororo into two districts. He contested the results of the elections but lost the case and had to pay Sanjay sh45m in costs.
Tororo is one of the most cosmopolitan municipalities in Uganda, with about 10 ethnic groups. Statistics indicate that the Jopadhola are the biggest tribe in the municipality, constituting 29.5% of the population, followed by the Iteso with 22.4% and Bagisu, 11.5%. Other groups include Basoga, Banyole, Basamia and Bagwere.
This mix could play in the hands of Sanja Tanna, a Ugandan of Indian descent, who may be seen as a neutral person. Others, however, accuse him of siding with Tororo county in its demand for the split of Tororo district in such a way that the municipality is cut out of West Budama.
Tanna won the seat as an independent candidate but later signed an agreement with the NRM party.
But despite his NRM leanings, Tanna was among the lawmakers who wanted security minister Amama Mbabazi penalised for his involvement in the NSSF-Temangalo scandal. On the local scene, Tanna has kept away from NRM meetings including one which Mbabazi, the party’s secretary general, attended. Failing to reconcile with party bigwigs may work against his re-election bid.
However, he is still very popular among voters, who describe him as generous at social and charity functions. During the last election campaigns he is said to have offered free helicopter rides to residents of Tororo town, most of whom had never had a chance of being up in the air except when climbing a tree.
Others interested in the seat are Jack Ogolla, the mayor. Ogolla has been popular but there have been complaints that the roads are in poor shape and that as a mayor, Ogolla should have done better.
Former presidential legal aide Fox Odoi will also join the race. Odoi had earlier been linked with the West Budama North. He was in the news during the 2006 elections for allegedly rounding up and caning people he accused of sneaking into the municipality to vote illegally. The men, however, later recorded statements with the Police stating that Odoi had not caned them.
Imram Muruga, the director of Tororo Progressive Academy, is also a contender. In 2006 he mobilised support but he later told his supporters that he was standing down for Tanna. He instead stood in Butaleja, his home area, but was beaten by Emmanuel Dombo.
Aspirants on the FDC ticket are Peter Owor, a secondary school teacher who also contested for the same seat in 2006 and Angura, a lecturer of UCC Soroti. The Democratic Party (DP) intends to field former Makerere University Guild President Susan Abo, who may have built her political profile nationally but has not yet gained ground in her home area.
Kyenjojo Woman
The incumbent, Joyce Kwebiha (NRM), will face stiff competition from 29-year-old Linda Timbigamba (NRM) and Faith Kunihira.
Timbigamba, who has resigned from Kind Uganda, a non-governmental organisation where she been working as a field officer, to prepare for the elections, wants to solve political conflicts in Kyenjojo.
The district has been involved in wrangles involving Byamukama the LCV chairperson, his cousin William Kaija, his sister Joyce Kwebiha and his wife Dora Byamukama, who is a legislator in the East Africa parliament.
In fact people regard the politics of the district as a family affair.
Faith Kunihira, a director of Bringing Hope to the Family, an NGO, is looking after over 500 orphans.
Political analysts in the area say Kwebiha will face a challenge in contesting against ladies who have been working with the community.
However, she is confident that she will win, saying she fought for women and children’s rights, fought HIV/AIDS, domestic violence and empowered women with catering skills, which helped them improve their income.
She says if she is re-elected, she will lobby for two health centre IIIs in Kanyangarama and Kitongore and a university which she intends to name Yoweri Museveni Memorial University.
Vurra county, Arua district
Vurra county is an NRM island that has been floating in a lake of opposition and has stood the test of time in its support for the party.
It is the only county in Arua district that voted for an NRM candidate, Simon Ejua, in 2006.
As 2011 approaches, the horizon remains pretty much the same. Ejua, the state minister for transport, who is serving his first term, seems to have performed above average and looks set to get a second term.
Luigi Candini, a renown area councillor, is of the opinion that Ejua will have an upper hand if he plays his cards well because he is still youthful and many people look up to him.
The minister’s strong points include his efforts in ensuring that West Nile gets a public university and lobbying for the maintenance of roads in the region.
The university got a green light from the Government and could be operational within a year.
Being the only NRM high-level official, Ejua has also had to spread his wings to constituencies represented by Opposition MPs, a responsibility he has fulfilled.
Local pundits describe Ejua as a soft-spoken politician who rarely fails to fulfil his promises.
However, like magma would emerge from a volcano, Dr. Sam Agatre Okuonzi, a no-nonsense health economics analyst, is also eyeing the seat. Okuonzi has embarked on mobilising votes at the grassroots, as he spends almost every weekend in Vurra.
Okuonzi holds a PhD and masters in public health and a Bachelor of medicine and surgery. He also has diplomas and certificates in public health and management.
He was the director of Makerere University’s Regional Centre for Quality of Health Care between October 2006 and February 2009.
Okuonzi was also a coordinator of the Global Fund for the fight against AIDS, TB and Malaria from November 2005 to July 2006.
He was secretary general National Council of Children, head of policy analysis at the ministry of health, consultant with the African Development Bank-funded Support to Health Sector Strategic Plan project and a consultant for the World Bank-funded Health sector reform project. Okuonzi was also a technical officer for research and evaluation at the World Health Organisation headquarters in Geneva, Switzerland, a senior planner at the health ministry and a medical officer/hospital superintendent in Mpigi, Kalangala and Kiboga districts. He will base his campaign on unity, systematic vision for development and his abilities.
He said his manifesto, which is still being drawn, would focus on education, job creation, health, commercialisation of agriculture and empowering women. Okuonzi has received credit for convincing the Forum for Democratic Change (FDC) vice-chairman for Arua district, Joseph Olea, to join NRM.
Not wanting to be outdone, the Uganda People’s Congress (UPC) wants to field Sam Agupio, a former People’s Redemption Army rebel suspect.
Compiled by: CYPRIAN MUSOKE, MOSES NAMPALA, HOPE MAFARANGA AND FRANK MUGABI
Mawokota North, Mpigi district
PERHAPS one of the most highly-billed political contests to watch in the 2011 parliamentary elections is the battle for the Mawokota North constituency.
Although it is yet to be officially acknowledged, one of the most public of secrets is that the Presidential Private Secretary, Amelia Kyambadde, will face off with incumbent Claver Mutuluuza.
The MP has taken the news with trepidation. The several highly publicised development projects Kyambadde has set up in the constituency have delighted residents, who say Mutuluuza has nothing to show for two terms in Parliament.
But State House denies that Kyambadde intends to stand.
Mutuluza, on the other hand, should not be written off just yet. The defiant veteran legislator, in a brave show of resilience, has repeatedly vowed to defeat Kyambadde. He told the press in November that despite Kyambadde’s having worked closely with the President for decades, he has in the past defeated other powerful people.
“I am not scared at all because I have seen it all. Nothing will stop me from standing against Amelia because I know I will still win.â€
Mutuluuza made the remarks in the wake of a fundraising function in his constituency, during which prominent Kampala tycoons made huge donations to Kyambadde’s projects in Mawokota, as they called upon the residents to support her.
At the ceremony, Kyambadde did not say she would try her hand at a political career, but the people who attended were carrying her posters.
Kyambadde has largely been seen to be laying the foundation for her candidature by initiating development projects, although her critics accuse her of using state resources to do so.
When Mutuluza says powerful people do not frighten him, it is not without a foundation. In 2001 he was discouraged from standing against the late Zzimula Mugwanya, who was considered powerful and politically connected. But Mutuluza stood his ground and beat Mugwanya, to many people’s surprise. Mugwanya served as former Presidential Advisor and state minister for local government from 1996 to 2001. He was also MP for Mawokota North until 2001.
Whereas Kyambadde has not lauched a campaign, there are many cars in Kampala bearing her posters with the inscription Mawokota etokota, loosely translated as Mawokota is boiling.
The portrait showing a grinning Kyambadde fills three quarters of the poster, and below it, is the national flag and the NRM yellow bus logo. Kyambadde’s posters neither indicate the constituency she is interested in nor do they ask people to vote for her. Nevertheless, it leaves no one in doubt as to her intentions. In addition, a popular musician, “Dr. Hilderman, who comes from the same area, composed a song, Amelia, which has been playing on local radio stations.
When Kyambadde came under attack for reportedly claiming that government programmes were her own, President Museveni defended her saying he had sent her to the constituency to monitor the programmes.
During the President’s tour of NAADS projects in Mpigi district recently, Kyambadde got the much-needed endorsement in the consituency.
And at a rally at Kammengo, Kyambadde’s supporters arrived in a convoy of Pajero vehicles with the occupants chanting her name.
With the word okutokota literally meaning to boil, the slogan simply suggests that Mawokota is fired up and gearing up for new leadership. This leaves Mutuluuza with only one option, that of complaining to the President. “Mr. President, advise some people because they will embarrass themselves. The people of Mawokota still want me and they are not ready to vote me out of power.â€
But when the President was invited to open a road in the area, he told residents at Muduuma Seed School that Kyambadde had exposed the corruption in the construction of the 20km road from Kammengo to Buvumbo landing site. She has also enlisted the support of her business heavy-weight friends like Sudhir Ruparelia, Gordon Wavamunno and Godfrey Kirumira among others, to bolster her ambition.
Mutuluza denies reports that he was promised a big job and money if he stepped down. “I would not take such offers because I am sure of my support. The President wants to meet us to resolve this.â€
Since they are NRM party members, one has to lose in the primaries. Nevertheless, this race will be closely watched.
TORORO MUNICIPALITY
Momentum is high as the incumbent, Sanjay Tanna, seeks re-election against eight challengers.
Notable aspirants seeking to unseat him, include his long time political foe Apollo Yeri Ofwono (NRM), who lost the seat to Tanna in 2006, at the height of heated debates over the possible split of Tororo into two districts. He contested the results of the elections but lost the case and had to pay Sanjay sh45m in costs.
Tororo is one of the most cosmopolitan municipalities in Uganda, with about 10 ethnic groups. Statistics indicate that the Jopadhola are the biggest tribe in the municipality, constituting 29.5% of the population, followed by the Iteso with 22.4% and Bagisu, 11.5%. Other groups include Basoga, Banyole, Basamia and Bagwere.
This mix could play in the hands of Sanja Tanna, a Ugandan of Indian descent, who may be seen as a neutral person. Others, however, accuse him of siding with Tororo county in its demand for the split of Tororo district in such a way that the municipality is cut out of West Budama.
Tanna won the seat as an independent candidate but later signed an agreement with the NRM party.
But despite his NRM leanings, Tanna was among the lawmakers who wanted security minister Amama Mbabazi penalised for his involvement in the NSSF-Temangalo scandal. On the local scene, Tanna has kept away from NRM meetings including one which Mbabazi, the party’s secretary general, attended. Failing to reconcile with party bigwigs may work against his re-election bid.
However, he is still very popular among voters, who describe him as generous at social and charity functions. During the last election campaigns he is said to have offered free helicopter rides to residents of Tororo town, most of whom had never had a chance of being up in the air except when climbing a tree.
Others interested in the seat are Jack Ogolla, the mayor. Ogolla has been popular but there have been complaints that the roads are in poor shape and that as a mayor, Ogolla should have done better.
Former presidential legal aide Fox Odoi will also join the race. Odoi had earlier been linked with the West Budama North. He was in the news during the 2006 elections for allegedly rounding up and caning people he accused of sneaking into the municipality to vote illegally. The men, however, later recorded statements with the Police stating that Odoi had not caned them.
Imram Muruga, the director of Tororo Progressive Academy, is also a contender. In 2006 he mobilised support but he later told his supporters that he was standing down for Tanna. He instead stood in Butaleja, his home area, but was beaten by Emmanuel Dombo.
Aspirants on the FDC ticket are Peter Owor, a secondary school teacher who also contested for the same seat in 2006 and Angura, a lecturer of UCC Soroti. The Democratic Party (DP) intends to field former Makerere University Guild President Susan Abo, who may have built her political profile nationally but has not yet gained ground in her home area.
Kyenjojo Woman
The incumbent, Joyce Kwebiha (NRM), will face stiff competition from 29-year-old Linda Timbigamba (NRM) and Faith Kunihira.
Timbigamba, who has resigned from Kind Uganda, a non-governmental organisation where she been working as a field officer, to prepare for the elections, wants to solve political conflicts in Kyenjojo.
The district has been involved in wrangles involving Byamukama the LCV chairperson, his cousin William Kaija, his sister Joyce Kwebiha and his wife Dora Byamukama, who is a legislator in the East Africa parliament.
In fact people regard the politics of the district as a family affair.
Faith Kunihira, a director of Bringing Hope to the Family, an NGO, is looking after over 500 orphans.
Political analysts in the area say Kwebiha will face a challenge in contesting against ladies who have been working with the community.
However, she is confident that she will win, saying she fought for women and children’s rights, fought HIV/AIDS, domestic violence and empowered women with catering skills, which helped them improve their income.
She says if she is re-elected, she will lobby for two health centre IIIs in Kanyangarama and Kitongore and a university which she intends to name Yoweri Museveni Memorial University.
Vurra county, Arua district
Vurra county is an NRM island that has been floating in a lake of opposition and has stood the test of time in its support for the party.
It is the only county in Arua district that voted for an NRM candidate, Simon Ejua, in 2006.
As 2011 approaches, the horizon remains pretty much the same. Ejua, the state minister for transport, who is serving his first term, seems to have performed above average and looks set to get a second term.
Luigi Candini, a renown area councillor, is of the opinion that Ejua will have an upper hand if he plays his cards well because he is still youthful and many people look up to him.
The minister’s strong points include his efforts in ensuring that West Nile gets a public university and lobbying for the maintenance of roads in the region.
The university got a green light from the Government and could be operational within a year.
Being the only NRM high-level official, Ejua has also had to spread his wings to constituencies represented by Opposition MPs, a responsibility he has fulfilled.
Local pundits describe Ejua as a soft-spoken politician who rarely fails to fulfil his promises.
However, like magma would emerge from a volcano, Dr. Sam Agatre Okuonzi, a no-nonsense health economics analyst, is also eyeing the seat. Okuonzi has embarked on mobilising votes at the grassroots, as he spends almost every weekend in Vurra.
Okuonzi holds a PhD and masters in public health and a Bachelor of medicine and surgery. He also has diplomas and certificates in public health and management.
He was the director of Makerere University’s Regional Centre for Quality of Health Care between October 2006 and February 2009.
Okuonzi was also a coordinator of the Global Fund for the fight against AIDS, TB and Malaria from November 2005 to July 2006.
He was secretary general National Council of Children, head of policy analysis at the ministry of health, consultant with the African Development Bank-funded Support to Health Sector Strategic Plan project and a consultant for the World Bank-funded Health sector reform project. Okuonzi was also a technical officer for research and evaluation at the World Health Organisation headquarters in Geneva, Switzerland, a senior planner at the health ministry and a medical officer/hospital superintendent in Mpigi, Kalangala and Kiboga districts. He will base his campaign on unity, systematic vision for development and his abilities.
He said his manifesto, which is still being drawn, would focus on education, job creation, health, commercialisation of agriculture and empowering women. Okuonzi has received credit for convincing the Forum for Democratic Change (FDC) vice-chairman for Arua district, Joseph Olea, to join NRM.
Not wanting to be outdone, the Uganda People’s Congress (UPC) wants to field Sam Agupio, a former People’s Redemption Army rebel suspect.
Compiled by: CYPRIAN MUSOKE, MOSES NAMPALA, HOPE MAFARANGA AND FRANK MUGABI