Rwampara gears up for NRM primaries

ELECTION WATCH

RWAMPARA - Battle lines have been drawn in Rwampara as the political temperatures continue to flare up within various camps in the two constituencies in the district.

Four candidates out of the five who had showed interest to vie for the two parliamentary seats on the National Resistance Movement ticket, have been dully nominated by the party's electoral commission chairman, Tang Odoi.

Apart from Vincent Kyamadidi, who is contesting in Rwampara County, others, including Amos Kankunda and Elly Atuhereze Kasigaire, have been nominated.

In Rwampara East, Charles Ngabirano, the incumbent and Julius Tusiime Karuhanga have also been nominated.

Last month, Parliament approved the creation of 46 new constituencies and one more constituency, Rwampara East, was carved out of Rwampara County.

Looking at the 2016 elections between Kyamadidi, who was the incumbent before he was trounced by Ngabirano in a hotly contested election, Rwampara elections are always marred with violence.

In the last elections, the two camps accused each other of beating up supporters.

The new demarcation of the constituency made Ngabirano and Kyamadidi to remain in Rwampara East, although Kyamadidi has now decided to stand in Rwampara County. This implies that Ngabirano has remained with only one big challenger, Karuhanga. Kyamadidi will now be tussling it out with Fardson Nuwahereza Kairanga, Kankunda and Kasigaire.

Kyamadidi's support is affected by what voters call an unstable political home. He left NRM and joined the Forum for DemocraticChange (FDC) in April 2018, but recently returned to NRM.

Rwampara East 

Tusiime says he will introduce Ishaazi (village parliament) in order to address some of the challenges that have hindered development.

He says in his first 100 days, he will ensure that Mwizi Health Centre III gets an ambulance and that the health centre is upgraded to hospital status.

Ngabirano says he will defeat his opponents because of the good things he has done for the area. Residents say he will use his financial muscle to retain the seat.

Rwampara County

Fadson Nuwahereza Kairanga says the people of Rwampara have been suffering with poor service delivery.

He says the farming community in Rwampara is suffering with lack of inputs and market for their produce, coupled with low prices. Kairanga says he will lobby for external market from his friends in the Netherlands.

He says while he is not promising anyone a job, he has friends who will help skill the youth.

Kankunda says he is already at the grassroots canvassing for support.

He says Rwampara has never had a community baraza that involves leaders and stakeholders to discuss challenges affecting their area and find lasting solutions.

Kyamadidi, who some people accuse of causing confusion by moving from Rwampara East to Rwampara County, says he still has loyal supporters.

This is the second time Kasigaire is running, after losing to Ngaborano in 2016.

He believes that this time, he has mobilised enough support.

Kasigaire said his priority will be improving education. Additional reporting by Glorias Musiime

Additional reporting by Glorias Musiime