Constituents grill MPs for abandoning them

By Ismael Kasooha

KYENJOJO – Members of Parliament from Kyenjojo district have been grilled by their constituents for allegedly abandoning them ever since they were elected to Parliament.

Legislators David Muhumuza (Mwenge North) and Linda Timbigamba (district Woman MP) faced the wrath of their voters  during a joint consultative meeting convened at Nyankwanzi sub-county headquarters.

The Tuesday meeting was called to disseminate the 22 Kyankwanzi resolutions and to popularize the sole candidature of President Yoweri Museveni for the NRM party in the coming 2016 elections.

One resident at the meeting vented his disappointment.

"Where have you been since we elected you to Parliament? We have not seen you in our areas." said Nyamaizi, who resides in Kyakaromba village.

He felt that was a good opportunity for them to confront their leaders because, he said, they (constituents) would not have met their MPs if the NRM had not organized that mid-term review meeting.

‘Return the money’

From then on, the MPs found themselves on the receiving end of more confrontation.

Another resident, Evarest Friday, asked the legislators why they never consulted them during the domestic relations Bill meetings unlike in other constituencies.

"Where did you put the money they gave you to consult us on the domestic relations Bill yet other MPs went to their constituencies for consultations," questioned Friday, drawing thunderous applause from the crowd.

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Area resident Evarest Friday tasked the MPs to explain why they did not consult them. PHOTO/Ismael Kasooha

He asked the MPs to return the money because it was not used for its intended purpose.

On her part, Mary Nakyanzi, asked the two lawmakers why women have been left behind in all activities yet they are key in the transformation of the country.

"Women have been completely left out of the development programmes. We only hear that there are projects in other areas. Why not in Kyenjojo?”

‘Eliminate vote rigging’

Another wanted to know if there are plans to develop them as women because they have not been involved in development programmes.

Gaston Maliro, a former resident district commissioner (RDC) for Bushenyi, asked the MPs to devise means of ensuring that vote rigging in the NRM primaries is eliminated so that independents' concerns are resolved.

"If the NRM party doesn't address election rigging in primaries the party will continue to experience independents and conflicts," said Maliro.

Maliro warned NRM leaders at the national level against campaigning for particular candidates during primaries because this leads to breakdown of the party unity at the grass-root level.

In her response, Woman MP Linda Timbigamba explained to the residents that she orgainsed a meeting at the district headquarters where women leaders from all sub-counties were consulted about the domestic relations Bill.

But the gathering did not feel convinced with her explanation.

She attempted a further fight-back.

"The district is big. I could not traverse it so I decided to meet women leaders at the district headquarters," said the MP.

She told the gathering that government has already earmarked sh400 million for the youth livelihood project for Kyenjojo district and asked the youth to make use of this money because it is demand-driven.

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There was an unanimous approval for the sole candidature of President Yoweri Museveni ahead of the 2016 polls. PHOTO/ Ismael Kasooha

Meanwhile, her counterpart David Muhumuza, while responding to the people’s concerns, said that they are legislating and lobbying for the constituency at the national level instead of staying in the constituency alone.

"We are busy legislating and lobbying for you. Do not think that we are not working?”

After the meeting that day, Muhumuza distributed 20,000 coffee seedlings to members of NRM to empower them enhance household incomes.

Despite the fiery meeting, the constituents unanimously approved the single candidature of Museveni in 2016 to promote unity and cohesion in the NRM party.