Candidates intensify campaigns for Samia-Bugwe North MP seat

ELECTION WATCH 

The race for the Samia-Bugwe North MP seat is hotting up as candidates intensify hunt for votes.

The race has attracted 14 contestants.

The incumbent, Gideon Onyango, lost in the National Resistance Movement (NRM) party primaries.

The contenders are John Mulimba (NRM) and independents — Dorothy Okware, Tonny Ojambo, Godfrey Wandera and Godfrey Ntalo.

Others are Patrick Lumonya, Mayende Sironda, Michael Hajusu, John Paul Wandera and Elias Kwamusi.

James Ndege, Moses Tabaluku, Gerald Padde and Auku Simon are also among the aspirants.

The constituency has six subcounties and two town councils, with the Bagwe as the dominant tribe followed by Iteso, mainly living in Buteba sub-county, Tiira town council and some parts of Busitema and Sikuda.

As the race starts to take shape, it is turning out to be tight between Mulimba, Tabaluku and John Paul Wandera.

Mulimba is a seasoned politician who has served from district council to Parliament in 2011. He has a big following and has started a reconciliation process with people who have been opposed to him.

Mulimba has had a good record while in Parliament and being an NRM candidate, a party that has support in the area, is another advantage.

Tabaluku is new on the political scene and lives in the gold mining area, a place that has many youths.

He has also come at a time when the Iteso want to be represented by their own.

Tabaluku is counting on the 13,000 voters in Buteba and 6,000 voters in Sikuda and Tiira town council.

John Paul Wandera has gained popularity because of what he has done for the area.

He has installed solar-powered street lights in different trading centres, repaired boreholes and provided sanitary wear to women and girls in the constituency.

Blame game?

Residents of Samia-Bugwe North have faulted the former area Memberof Parliament, Aggrey Awori, for the challenges being experienced in the constituency.

They said he neglected his voters while he was in office. With over 56,000 registered voters, Samia-Bugwe North has several challenges ranging from land grabbing in the mining areas, poor health services, poverty to poor infrastructure.

The residents also said they are harassed by soldiers guarding the West Bugwe forest reserve.

Guluba Benard, a resident of Ngochi village, said the area has been having challenges since 1995, when they elected Awori, the former Uganda People's Congress (UPC) strongman.

He said during his (Awori's) two terms in office, he performed well at national level, but neglected the constituency.

"Our roads, schools, health facilities are in bad shape. We have no electricity and secondary schools," he said.