Three in tight race for Butebo

ELECTION | BUTEBO WOMAN MP

Butebo district, which was carved out of Pallisa in 2017, is set to elect its first Woman MP.

The tight race is between Elizabeth Aisu, the National Resistance Movement (NRM) flag-bearer, Monica Logose and Agnes Ameede, who are running as independents. 

Ameede, who was the Pallisa district Woman MP, opted to cross over to the new Butebo.

Aisu is in the race for Butebo for the second time. She faced off with men in 2013 after the demise of the then minister for disaster preparedness, Dr Stephen Mallinga.

Aisu says her candidature this time is well-planned because men who mistook her for having ‘worn trousers' to compete with them are behind her.

What Aisu says

Aisu says she has the obligation to campaign for President Yoweri Museveni and popularise the NRM party manifesto.

She also pledges to fight tribalism in the district.

"Luckily, I am eloquent in both Ateso and Lugwere, which are predominantly spoken in the district," Aisu says.

"The issue of tribalism in Butebo is instigated by politicians but people in the rural setting do not realise it because of intermarriage," she explains.

Aisu says for income generation, she wants the people of Butebo to embrace commercial farming.

She supplied lemon seedlings to each household last year, before the COVID-19 pandemic, which has since boosted the demand for lemons.

Aisu says in the education sector, she will provide solar lighting to all schools as she works with parents to improve students' performance.

Aisu adds that few women are engaged in productive work, decision-making and leadership positions, which she intends to change.

She pledges to support women with start-up capital for their saving groups.

Aisu says she has also supported religious programmes in the community.

She adds that the historical sites in the district need to be publicised so that the community gets market for their produce from tourists.

What Ameede pledges

Ameede says Butebo still needs her because she needs to complete what she had started in Pallisa.

She urged voters to forget that she is an independent and instead focus on her ideas.

"Butebo knows what I have been doing for them in terms of disaster preparedness during cholera outbreak and hailstorms in Kabwangasi. Parliament is not a place for trials, and changing leaders will not benefit Butebo,"Ameede says.

Logose speaks out

Logose says she has been in the political arena even before the carving out of Butebo from Pallisa.

"Women need to be exposed to tradeshows and crafts making instead of trading in gossip," she explains.

Logose promises that as MP, she will do the motherly role of bringing order to the district council, which is the implementing entity for government programmes.

Voters say

John Malinga

We need balanced leadership and people who can work with us in lower local government, not those who do not pick calls.

Sarah Kataike

Leaders need to be in touch with their constituents at all times, instead of disappearing after elections, then return for votes.

Sam Ngeso

Butebo needs model schools which can make each sub-county get 20 students in division one.