Nambooze joins race for Buganda caucus chair

The battle for the chairmanship of the Buganda parliamentary caucus has started to fire up, with Mukono Municipality MP, Betty Nambooze, saying she will stand if nominated.

She will join four other aspirants said to be putting all their resources and energy into their attempts to gather support.

They are; Theodore Ssekikubo (Lwemiyaga County), Muyanja Ssenyonga (Mukono South), John Bosco Lubyayi (Mawokota South) all National Resistance Movement (NRM) lawmakers and David Kalwanga (Busujju County, Independent).

"I am more than willing to lead a caucus that will influence policy in Uganda if my name is proposed and I will be honoured if they trust me with such a position. I have what it takes," Nambooze, who is currently the caucus vice chairperson, told New Vision.

She recently returned home after spending a week in South Africa where she received medical treatment for stomach complications.

"I have the parliamentary experience and I am well conversant with Buganda issues but if NRM MPs vote along partisan lines then I won't be chairman because they are the majority in the caucus," she said.

Nambooze stressed that her intention was to have a vibrant caucus. "Our caucus has become the weakest group in parliament yet it is supposed to be influential. It hasn't identified itself as a force to reckon with," she noted.

DP backs Nambooze

Democratic Party (DP) chief whip and Kalungu West MP Joseph Ssewungu recently noted that despite being ill, Nambooze had expressed interest in contesting for chairmanship.

"I support Nambooze for the position and we still need her to head the Buganda caucus given her vast experience as the vice chairperson," Ssewungu is quoted in the media as saying.

Some observers say caucus members may prefer a candidate of experience and good working relationship with Mengo, the seat of Buganda Kingdom.

Muyanja has already constituted a team of MPs to solicit votes for him and it includes Kato Lubwama (Rubaga South) and Judith Babirye (Buikwe Woman).

Muyanja recently told New Vision that his mission was to unite all political leaders in Buganda, regardless of their political inclinations, and push for Buganda's interests, including federalism and development.

Ssekikubo front-runner

Observers say Ssekikubo is most likely to win the race despite having little credibility among top NRM leaders who accuse him of violating the party's code of conduct by defying party positions in Parliament and hobnobbing with members of the Opposition.

But Ssekikubo is viewed by many as an independent minded legislator and a person of considerable parliamentary experience having been in parliament since 2001. He had expressed interest in Deputy Speaker of Parliament seat but was convinced by NRM top leaders into bowing out of the race for Jacob Oulanyah.

Commentators say his NRM colleagues in Buganda caucus may elect him as a consolation prize for accepting to bow out and leave the deputy speaker job to Oulanyah.

The caucus has over 100 members and the position of Buganda caucus chairperson is highly sought after because history has shown the bearer always winds up in cabinet.

The former Busiro North MP and vice president Prof Gilbert Bukenya, former Kyamuswa MP Tim Lwanga became ministers, as did Dr Alfred Mubanda (Busiro South), Rose Namayanja (Nakaseke Woman),and most recently, Godfrey Kiwanda.

The outgoing caucus spokesperson Vincent Ssempijja (Kalungu East MP) was recently appointed agriculture minister, while Mubende Woman MP, Benny Namugwanya, who has been the general secretary, was also recently appointed state minister for Kampala.

Change caucus name

Nambooze, who belongs to DP, however said she would want to "lead a caucus but not a social group".

This lends credence to the concerns of Kiwanda, the current caucus chairperson, stating that there is a plan to change the name of Buganda parliamentary caucus, a proposal the recently appointed tourism state minister derided.

Kiwanda told New Vision that some members were toying with the idea of kicking non-Baganda out in the proposed "Baganda parliamentary caucus".

However, Kiwanda, who is also tourism state minister and Mityana North MP, did not mention names.

The caucus was formed in 1996 to enable members speak with a unified voice on Buganda kingdom issues regardless of their political affiliations.

New caucus rules

New Vision also learnt that some members were proposing a number of guidelines for the caucus.

They include Kira Municipality MP, Ssemujju Nganda.

Ssemujju, who is also the Opposition chief whip and Forum for Democratic Change (FDC) spokesperson, wants qualifications for candidates who want to vie for caucus positions set, term of office and responsibilities of officeholders stated and determinants for who and who doesn't become a member.

"All those things are not defined. As long as you represent the geographical territory in Buganda, you are a member of the caucus and you can become the chairperson whether you have been abusing the Kabaka. I think we are now trying to reconstitute ourselves properly, Ssemujju said.

Kiwanda welcomed the proposed guidelines but strongly opposed the idea of changing the name, saying it would promote tribalism and chase away some members.

"The idea of having guidelines is good but we can't afford to have a tribal caucus. Ours is a regional caucus and anyone who is elected from one of the constituencies of Buganda belongs to the caucus," he stressed.

An interim committee that was set up on Monday by the caucus to organise fresh elections within one month is doing consultations on the guidelines and the constitution, said Mathias Mpuuga (Masaka Municipality MP), who is leading the committee.

"We are now trying to come up with a Constitution and we need to replace guidelines that were not gazetted," Mpuuga said.

Date for elections

Mpuuga said they were yet to set the date for elections of new leaders.

"We are still going through the preliminary issues raised by members during the meeting and also doing consultations on the nature of binding legal documents that we shall present to members," he explained.

He stated that since Parliament has the power to make laws it remains their duty as Buganda MPs to make sure that whatever policies or legislations that go through parliament Buganda is properly and adequately represented.

Ssemujju said what their caucus stands for must be defined before elections can be held.
"Our caucus is so cosmopolitan but as I speak to you now I think 20%-30% MPs from Buganda are not Baganda," he said.

Powerful caucus

The Associate Professor of public administration at Uganda Management Institute, Gerald Karyeija said Buganda caucus cannot be easily ignored because Buganda has got the strongest kingdom and the cultural institutions have a very big influence on the political dispensation in this country