Bukedi electorate demand better health services

UGANDA DECIDES 2021 |

The issues raised in Bukedi sub-region mirror the recent findings of a New Vision opinion poll, showing that agriculture and food security is the biggest challenge for voters in the eastern region.

Shortage of land for agriculture was raised as the biggest threat, followed by poor seed quality, poor soil fertility, high food prices, unpredictable weather seasons, and low commodity prices.

The opinion poll, conducted by Vision Group's research team, involved interviews with 5,987 respondents in 45 districts across the country.

The respondents were randomly asked to state their most outstanding issues of concern in their localities, without giving them a list of issues to choose from. Other top concerns for voters in the region include the road network, national security, and leadership troubles.

The eastern region is also a hotspot for most complaints about political issues, domestic abuse, as well as tradition and religious contradictions.

Bukedi vote

The seven local governments that form Bukedi sub-region have historically, been a fi rm base for National Resistance Movement (NRM), with candidate President Yoweri Museveni scoring significantly higher than his competitors.

In the 2016 general elections, Museveni had 69% of the poll vote in Kibuku, 54% in Pallisa, and 55% in Butebo, which was formerly a county under Pallisa.

With the shifting dynamics of the election campaigns brought about by the COVID-19 pandemic, many party leaders are confident that the strategy will secure a win for Museveni.

Kibuku County MP Herbert Kinobere said the party will count on its fulfilled promises to the region and the structures in the district to secure a win for the candidates.

"We have 95 parishes in the district and our target is to hold at least five meetings per parish, alongside small meetings of no more than 200 people. That way, we will win," he said.

Kinobere is, however, cautious that the party needs to interface with some youth who have not yet benefited from youth livelihood programmes and could be swayed by the opposition.

Some party stalwarts are also pressing the party to work out a mechanism to reconcile colleagues who feel scoured by the September party primaries that forced many to contest as independents.

Butebo district Woman MP, Agnes Ameede, who is contesting for the same seat as an independent, said NRM will win the upcoming polls in her area, but calls for reflection.

"We expect to maintain an edge over the opposition in Butebo. The television and radio coverage is high, but not effective. Our approach will be to talk to the people," she told New Vision.

She insisted that the political rivalry brought about by the party members is a reflection that some members of the party are not fully engaged in its activities.

NRM leaders from the region are confident that the profile of infrastructure projects in the region has already won over the hearts and minds of voters.

"The infrastructure projects have attracted many people to Pallisa. We see a surge in numbers of people who are coming here for business or settlement," John Michael Okurut, the Pallisa district chairperson, said.