Will Buganda, religion redefine the Rubaga South race?

2021 ELECTIONS   POLITICS

Rubaga Division is a unique geographical setting. It is shared by two traditional and closely interlinked electoral boundaries, Rubaga North and South, constituencies that are home to Mengo, the seat of Buganda Kingdom and some of its key historical sites and cultural installations.

For instance, whereas Buganda's administrative headquarter at Bulange-Mengo is located in Rubaga North, the Kabaka's palace, Twekobe is in Rubaga South.

Knowing too well that for one to win either of the constituencies, they must paint a picture that they have a nod from Mengo, and probably a figurative validation that you seek to protect and represent the Kingdom's interests, politicians aspiring to represent Rubaga South, struggle to find something that relates them with the monarchy.

"My name is Denis Mbidde Ssebugwawo. I am a Muganda, belonging to the Muusu clan just like Buganda's Nabagereka (Queen) Sylvia Nagginda. Other candidates talk about their ancestral ties elsewhere in Buganda, but mine is here (Rubaga) where we have the palace and tombs. Therefore, you have no better option for an MP than a person who understands the significance of these installations to the survival of this great Kingdom and ideologically grounded in the demand for ebyaffe and a federal system of governance," said Mbidde, an independent MP aspirant in Rubaga South.

Ken the man

Prior to the 2016 general elections, Rubaga South had been represented by Conservative Party (CP) president John Ken Lukyamuzi for 15 years who is very keen and vocal on federalism as a preferred system of governance for Buganda.

Lukyamuzi joined Parliament in 2001, replacing Democratic Party's Damiano Lubega, an equally avid monarchist.

Lubega, who succeeded former Katikkiro of Buganda, Jehoash Mayanja Nkangi as CP president, was also a vocal advocate of Mengo-related issues, during his days in Parliament.

Interestingly, it took an employee of the Kingdom, Kato Lubwama to end Lukyamuzi's grip on Rubaga South. Lubwama a professional rib cracker (comedian) had worked with Buganda's CBS FM for more than two decades before joining Parliament.

Lukyamuzi, who also championed environmental protection and human rights, during his lengthy tenure in Parliament, has also announced a comeback.  Lukyamunzi's political carrier was cut-short by the Inspector General of Government (IGG) over queries related to failure to declare assets or delay to do so contrary to the Leadership Code Act.

To firefight for political survival, Lukyamuzi, using his towering political support in the area, commanded voters to elect his daughter, Suzan Nampijja, and she won.

"I am seeking reelection because I am CP's favourite and I can't defy the party. Everybody knows I am clear on the issues I stand for and I can ably represent them. I have fought for the environment, the downtrodden, my kingdom and my church, and the people of Rubaga appreciate this," Lukyamuzi said, vowing to reclaim the seat from Lubwama, the incumbent.  

The Buganda factor

Although the central Government has been labouring to meet Buganda's interests since the restoration of kingdoms in 1993, including returning almost all property and land titles confiscated by Dr Apollo Milton Obote's regime in the 1966 crisis, politicians especially, within the Opposition, have often milked the Buganda question  and the federo line to gain political capital.

Almost all contenders in the crowded quest for Rubaga South seat are strongly identifying with Buganda's interests.

During Bukedde TV's political talk show, Akalulu (elections) 2021 aired last week, all contenders for Rubaga South, struggled to prove to supporters that their loyalty to Mengo, the seat of Buganda Kingdom, is unrivalled.

According to one of the aspirants from the National Resistance Movement (NRM), Jamil Mpiima Ssenoga, it is only NRM that is able to solve the problems of Mengo.

"Nobody can resolve Buganda's issues without addressing the land question. My priority is going to be fighting land grabbing so that Buganda's young generation is assured of land if it is to survive," he said.

Ssenoga is the husband to Faridah Mpiima Mayanja an NRM cadre and Kampala Resident City Commissioner (RCC) that has been defeated twice by both Lukyamuzi and Lubwama.

Former presidential candidate, Samuel Lubega Mukaaku and Aloysius Mukasa are also in the race. However, their undoing could be the unsolved jostle for the National Unity Platform (NUP) and People Power endorsement.

Political watchers argue that to win an election in Kampala, one has to identify with Mengo, and also re-align your wheels towards the Opposition tangent. However, in previous elections, this line has been challenged by the fact that some NRM contenders such as former Attorney General, Freddie Ruhindi, among other have won elections within Kampala on the NRM ticket.

Church factor

Yet for Rubaga Division, the factors are not limited to Mengo or Opposition influence only, the religious factor also plays out given the fact that the area is the nerve centre for both the Catholic and Protestant Churches with their mother cathedrals in Rubaga and Namirembe respectively being located in Rubaga South and North of the constituencies.

In Rubaga South, two other contenders, Eugene Nassolo and Francis Xavier Katabalwa have positioned themselves as pro-Church.

"I have served the catholic church all my life. I currently work with the Rubaga Cathedral treasury and also a property manager in the diocese. Once voted I will use my networks to ensure that we help the young people to start small industrial cottages as a move to creating jobs," Nassolo said.

Nassolo is vying for Rubaga South on the Democratic Party (DP) ticket while Katabalwa, a former DP stalwart, will contest for the seat on the Alliance for National Transformation (ANT) ticket.

"Ugandans have been diverted from the legislation role of parliament. Kampala has a minister but our MP has never lobbied them to ensure that we get the services we desire, I am going to use my experience as a leader in the church to ensure that I bridge these gaps," Katabalwa said.

Yet some voters contest the fact that leaders who campaign on the Church and Mengo factor abandon this cause once they are elected.

 "It is true the Church and Mengo are very critical in our area but our past leaders have been using that as a scapegoat not to work for us. They simply pay allegiance to those institutions and forget about us and yet there are real issues that are affecting Rubaga south, I hope the voters are critical this time around," Denis Mugonza, a resident of Mutundwe, said.

Enter Kato Lubwama

In 2016, Rubaga South voted for Lubwama with 17,740 votes against Lukyamuzi's 6,145. Katabalwa managed 2,965 and Michael Kayemba trailed with 130. Siraje Kifampa had 2,306 and Ronald Kizza 570 while Mayanja got 6,738 and James Wasajja 749 and Francis Ssempiira got 551.

Lubwama thinks his loyalty to Mengo and the people of Rubaga South remains unquestionable. This, therefore, he said, will make his re-election, a walkover of sorts.

"In 2016 I was the underdog but I beat all of them. I know what Rubaga South wants, and I have been able to deliver on some of my promises so I will sail through," Lubwama said, downplaying a recent parliamentary scorecard by the African Leadership Institute, which lowly ranked his performance.

Lubwama also added that people, who scoff at him over his average prowess in the Queen's language, are misplaced because the people of Rubaga South are the best judges of whether speaking fine English is a major factor in determining who they send to represent them in Parliament.

Lubwama said he will again contest as an independent.

In a short video clip interview with journalists recently, Lubwama said he was elected into Parliament on account that he campaigned on the ground of he was "going to eat".

"During my tenure, I have eaten properly just like the way I pledged to my voters during the 2016 campaigns. Now that I have finished eating, voters should elect me again in the 2021 general elections so that we eat. This coming term I want to eat with them," he said.

When he fell out with the DP leadership under Norbert Mao, prior to the 2016 general elections, Lubwama joined Lord Mayor Erias Lukwago to form a pressure group dubbed Truth and Justice, which was mainly composed of politicians from Buganda that were disgruntled with Mao's leadership style.

However, controversy arose when Lukyamuzi, his rival was backed by Forum for Democratic Change (FDC) presidential flag bearer, Dr Kizza Besigye. Besigye's right-hand man Lukwago who had already committed to supporting Lubwama, also switched to the Besigye wave, abandoning Lubwama.

In retaliation, Lubwama also abandoned Lukwago's Truth and Justice in the middle of the campaign to form his own Solidarity pressure group with Musa Luwembo.

Whereas Lukaymuzi was backed by Besigye and the FDC structure, Lubwama defeated them. 

Currently, majority of political figures that formed Truth and Justice group, have joined Bobi Wine's party, the National Unity Platform (NUP) while their leader Lukwago has also made his courtship with Forum for Democratic Change (FDC) official.

"The Opposition has been here for long and the people of Rubaga have not benefitted at all. They are tired of being lied to. So they need someone who will be the go-between them and government," Ssenoga, the NRM contender in the race, said.

Adam Swift Mugga an independent think that Rubaga South's biggest challenge is poverty therefore once voted for he will use his white army movement to afford residents free interest loans for startup businesses.

Other contenders in the race include Kenneth Male, Musa Mbaziira, Sadat Mukiibi, Dean Lubowa Saava, Grace Nakanwagi masagazi, Junior Ssebalamu, Habib Buwembo who sued Lubwama over academic qualifications and Ismail Ssemakula, the Sema Properties proprietor.