By Our Reporters
Having correctly concluded that politics is the surest way to gainfully get employed in Museveni’s Uganda, a number of politically ambitious Ugandans are already having their eyes on 2021 and actively scheming on how to upstage the incumbent legislators whose performance so far hasn’t met the expectations of their electors. In today’s version of 2021 UPDATES, a political feature that will be regularly running on this news website, we continue profiling some of these political actors who are menacingly looking at several MPs’ constituencies with a view of retiring them in public interest come 2021. They are as follows:
JOY KABATSI; The State Minister for Agriculture (Livestock sub sector) recently confirmed to Mulengera news website that she hasn’t given up her dream to become Sembabule Woman MP now occupied by Anifa Kawooya who has served since the CA in 1994. And in this term, Kawooya (who has been winning many disputed elections against Kabatsi) is eating double-double because she is MP in two Parliaments namely Uganda and Pan African Parliament (PAP) based in South Africa. Kabatsi stands higher chances this time round because as minister she now has a higher profile and is also likely to benefit from the fact that kingmaker Sam Kutesa’s wife the very influential Edith Gasana isn’t comfortable with Kawooya anymore. Gasana (who in 2016 used the JPAM Museveni betrayal to tell Kutesa ‘do you see how treacherous those Bakigas can be?) is more comfortable with Kabatsi than Kawooya (a Mukiga) who she considers a negative influence on the Mawogola Sembabule politics. In fact she prefers that their Mbabule FM promotes Kabatsi than Anifa Kawooya who voters now resent because of serving for too long. Kabatsi has used her MAAIF docket to endear herself to thousands of cattle farmers including those from Sembabule. This is one way to build networks that could come in handy in 2021.
JIMMY CHEMONGES; He is the brother to Anthony Kuka, the financially very successful Private Secretary to the President in charge of Political Affairs. Jimmy is eyeing Tingey County for which he faces strong resistance from former Minister Stephen Chebrot.
WILLIAM CHEMONGES; He is the real estate dealer from Sebei whose Kireka-based WILJON estates firm gets good deals for mostly first term MPs trying to purchase their first residential houses in the Namugongo neighborhood. Youthful Chemonges has always sponsored others to become MPs back home in Sebei but now says it’s time to come by himself. He has his eyes on Kween County MP Seat and will be vying on the independent ticket with high chances to win. Chemonges has of recent expanded his (Future Group) business into construction whereby he is the one constructing a modern car bond opposite Spear next to UNAFRI in Nakawa. This is being constructed at over Shs1.4bn with the contractor being Future Group which Chemonges owns. The owner of the bond is a one Yunus Imran, a wealthy Pakistan who is a good business friend of Shudir Ruparelia. The much disputed land on which the modern car bond (holding 500 cars at a time) is being built previously belonged to Uganda Police but was controversially leased to Imran under PPP. The huge complex has 25 offices besides the huge parking space for the car bond. The bond, whose completion has raised Chemonges’ profile as a businessman in construction, sits on 4 acres of prime land and during construction, Chemonges gave jobs to many potential voters from Kween and thereby increasing his votability.
RICHARD KIYENGO; He is the Museveni diehard the NRM is fronting for Kiira Municipality Mayoral Seat currently held by DP’s Julius Mutebi who thumped him in 2016. Mamerito Mugerwa, the elderly veteran who ruled Kiira with iron fist for such a long time, has also not yet denounced his right to try again.
SIMON NSUBUGA; He is the Wakiso district Speaker and disgruntled DP members, saying they have materially not benefited from the incumbent, are fronting him to run for Wakiso LC5 Chair currently occupied by governor Matia Lwanga Bwanika who is renowned for being outspoken on environmental issues.
NORMAN SEMWANGA; He is the Wakiso district councilor representing workers in Matia Bwanika’s Council. He is the man the NRM party is fronting to vie for the Wakiso LC5 Seat which Bwanika has held since 2011 when he first defeated Ian Kyeyune.
ARTHUR MUGABI; He is the long serving PA to Mukono Municipality MP Betty Nambooze and is once again having his eyes on Buikwe North MP Seat in Buikwe district.
SULEIMAN KIDANDALA; The former Deputy Lord Mayor is back for the Kawempe North MP Seat. Kidandala, who is a leading member of the DP reunion caravan, recently had his supporters stage an excellent PR trap for incumbent Latif Sebaggala. The venue was Kawempe Division headquarters and the function was the swearing in ceremony of newly elected LC1 chairpersons. Latif innocently walked in only to be heckled by a pro-Kidandala mob until he left the function prematurely and a scared Latif has since been advised by the DP haters not to seek reelection but instead challenge his fellow Muslim and TJ co-founder Lord Mayor Erias Lukwago on grounds the likes of Abed Bwanika will ensure Bobi Wine backs him. They know Lukwago can’t be easily uprooted but they are certain Latif has enough money to make Lukwago sweat before getting back his seat. The strategy is to front Latif in the hope that will scare and disorganize Lukwago and get him denounce KB to appease the Bobi Wine crowd.
MOSES KATABU; The KCCA councilor representing Kampala Central is a political veteran who has been around for an eternity. He is being urged by the likes of Abed Bwanika to grow his political antennae and go for the Kampala Central Mayoral Seat currently held by Charles Serunjogi his former friend in DP. This is backed by the DP Johnson Street faction whose members are calculating that Katabu can use the position as a launching pad to prepare for the MP Seat in 2026. He remains undecided as Serunjogi too has lately been consolidating himself on the seat.
MOHAMED MUTAZINDWA; He is the KCCA Councilor representing Kawempe North and he is FDC. Mutazindwa has his eyes on Kawempe North MP Seat whose incumbent Latif Sebaggala isn’t seeking reelection having been recently attacked by angry voters urging him to quit because he has served for too long. Mutazindwa faces fellow councilor Mohamed Segirinya Edoboozi lya Kyebando who has been warming for the seat for a while.
ABDULLAH KIWANUKA; The city lawyer is once again trying to wrestle Mukono North MP Seat from Ronald Kibule who has held it for now 10 years. Kiwanuka is counting on the joint opposition vote since he is on good terms with all opposition leaders who matter namely Besigye, Nambooze, Lukwago, Bobi Wine, Semujju Nganda and others. He is the reason Kibule is pondering relocating to remoter Bbale County in Kayunga district where he has a farm and a nice house to which one of his wives recently relocated. Kiwanuka recently famously represented the Lusanja residents (probono) after they had been evicted by tycoon Medard Kiconco from their land.
JOYCE BAGALA; The baby-faced NBS news anchor narrowly lost the race for Mityana woman MP in 2016 and she is now back to torment disputed winner Judith Nabakooba like never before. Combining alliance with Dr. Besigye, DP and Mr. Wine’s People Power, there are all indicators to show Bagala will finally be in Parliament come 2021. Gratefully she is returning to the ring better networked and financially more resourced than last time and its indeed in order for Nabakooba to begin bidding voters fair well. Her problems are many including being at loggerheads with LC5 Chairman Joseph Luzige, a fellow NRM member who has been decampaigning her openly.
MICHEAL WAMALA ZIGGWA; The Kawempe South KCCA councilor is the reason Mubarak Munyagwa trounced NRM and DP candidates to become area MP in 2016. Ziggwa was in the race for the same seat but FDC leaders persuaded him to quit for Munyagwa and got for Councillorship which he easily won. Would he win MP race? No. We don’t think so but his candidature would have split the FDC vote and deprived Munyagwa of a win. NRM’s Madina Nsereko would now be the MP. There was also a one L Kanyike (lawyer) who stayed in the race and diminished Munyagwa’s vote. Kanyike is these days living incognito in Kireka side and it’s unclear why he totally quit Kawempe. Ziggwa now wants to run for Kawempe South as an FDC diehard and this could harden things for Munyagwa’s reelection bid.
KAGGWA NJALA; The NBS popular presenter has his eyes on Busiro South and his mobilization antics have excited many. Njala, who is very social and active in the Catholic Church, is increasingly becoming rooted on the ground and here is how he does it. Every evening as he returns home, Njala will seat in numerous bars where he chats with people and take at least one bottle of beer and go to the next one. In the end, proprietors of different bars feel equally supported and this has endeared Njala to many who contrast him with wealthier and more generous Stephen Sekigozi who mostly lives in Lungujja Rubaga Division rather than in Busiro South. In his political strategies, Njala is leveraging on his relationship with influential leaders like Kizza Besigye, Betty Nambooze and Erias Lukwago. It could be in the NRM interest that he gets the MP Seat and leaves the influential Morning Breeze show where State House perceives him as an opposition ideologue merely disguising to be a journalist.
JOHN SSIMBWA; The former ISO operative wants to recapture his Makindye East MP Seat which he acrimoniously lost to opposition’s Ibrahim Kasozi, a diehard Muntu supporter. Ssimbwa, who is a liberal-minded NRM supporter, is now emboldened by the fact that despite being a Bobi Wine henchman, Kasozi has lately been cracking politically after voters becoming disgruntled with him snubbing their phone calls. Voters say his phones keep changing and the few good things he sends them often get diverted by his team members. Inability to access him as often as they would wish is what has messed up Kasozi most. The same thing affected Apollo Kantinti who eventually lost his seat in a by-election. In his FDC party, Kasozi doesn’t stand on very strong foundation as his renowned support for Muntu has made many speculate he could be on his way to New Formation. He can’t count on People Power either because Mike Mabikke, a stronger Bobi ally, is equally looking at the same MP Seat come 2021.
DUNSTAN BUSULWA; The handsome talk show host for both Top Radio and BBS Terefayina has his eyes on Busiro South MP Seat which he in 2016 lost to Peter Sematimba the conqueror of the NRM ticket in the area. Sematimba went on to ride on a divided opposition to become area MP in 2016. Busuulwa last week hosted Bobi Wine on his Amaaso ku Ggwanga program and solicited his backing but the very calculative man from Magere remained cagey. Busuulwa has connections of powerful people like Gen Proscovia Nalweyiso, Lawrence Mulindwa, Parcis Namuganza, Katikkiro Mayiga and Tamale Mirundi just to mention a few.
SHIFRAH LUKWAGO; The city lawyer hasn’t given up her bid to become Kampala Woman MP though (like all the other contenders) she remains very much afraid of formidable Stella Nyanzi who is deeply backed by ordinary voters and the political squads of Dr. Besigye, Mayor Lukwago and MP Bobi Wine. Shifrah hails from Kawempe and must overcome fellow Muslim Sarah Kanyike to land the DP flag. In 2016, she stood as independent having lost primaries to Nakiwala Kiyingi who has since betrayed DP diehards by becoming a minister in Museveni’s government.
EDDIE YAWE; The Tukigale singer has largely been very unfortunate in politics ever standing and losing elections in Kampala Central in 2011 before relocating to Kiira Municipality in 2016. Supporters insist that in 2011 the NRM cheated him in favor of Nsereko Mohammed but Yawe betrayed voters by failing to have any convincing explanation as to why he pulled out the case challenging Nsereko’s win in court. He is right now at cross roads as to which constituency to go for as his birth place of Gomba remains an NRM stronghold meaning he doesn’t stand much chance there. In Kampala he remains torn between Nakawa, Kampala Central and Kiira where money-minded DP colleagues have already betrayed him by marketing Kiira Yanga FC tycoon Jimmy Lukwago.
EASTER NAKAWOOYA; The young lady from the Ngeye clan is a journalist anchoring news with Delta TV and Top Radio in Kampala and her popularity is the reason Nakaseke woman MP Sarah Najjuma isn’t sleeping anymore. With strong backing of Buganda kingdom area structures, opposition-leaning Nakawooya has taken Nakaseke by storm and has ably capitalized on Najjuma’s weaknesses (which include not being on good terms with fellow Nakaseke MPs) to endear herself to many people. Najjuma had fled the constituency after youth ganged up on her saying she betrayed their views on the Togikwatako when she voted for scrapping of age limits in the Constitution in December 2017. She recently came back after hearing Nakawooya was balancing the boat in her absence. The two a few days ago met during a Buganda kingdom-organized clan’s football tournament for Nakawooya’s Nakaseke Sub County where she (Nakawooya) was recognized for keenly supporting Buganda kingdom activities in the area. Nakawooya’s speech incited the crowd to jeer at Najjuma until she left the function. Nakaseke is rural but MP Lutamaguzi Semakula’s outspokenness has fermented sentiments for change. Najjuma’s other problem is doing nothing about poor health services, acute water scarcities and the bad state in which Kiwoko-Ngoma is in along with other roads. Lutamaguzi has made residents to resent MPs who don’t talk in Parliament. Differences with the powerful Nakaseke North MP Syda Bbumba have only made things worse for Najjuma whose opponent Nakawooya is also already working well with influential LC5 Chairman Ignatius Koomu.
SARAH EPELU; The FDC big lady is having her eyes on Ngora Woman MP Seat which she has previously tried and failed to get. Eperu is further emboldened by the political fatigue voters are having towards long serving incumbent Jacqueline Amongin’s long tenure and the fact that Easter Asekenye is challenging her in NRM primaries. Asekenye works in the President’s Office and her bid hasn’t left Amongin the same. Eperu has lately been very outspoken on Teso area radios defending POA against attacks by the likes of Alice Alaso and other former FDC bosses. She has also been organizing many political activities in the area aimed at promoting the “M7 Must Go” campaign which has seen the red ribbon movement sweep through Teso. Eperu is also strengthened by the fact that Ngora was always an FDC stronghold until 2011 when infighting cropped up and NRM’s Amongin took advantage. The wrangles resulted from Eperu hater Alice Alaso (then SG) who kept fronting a one Stella Apolot to run with Eperu and two other women, a thing that kept splitting votes to the benefit of the NRM. In 2011, Agnes Akiror (now Minister) had decamped but run as an FDC-leaning independent and confused many voters further advantaging Amongin. In 2016, Apolot returned and defeated Eperu in primaries partly because Alaso was still SG and calling shots in the party. Eperu was cowed and didn’t run unlike Apolot who stood as independent in 2011 after losing the flag to Eperu. Our research shows that the Besigye vs. Muntu politics greatly disorganized the party in Teso and Eperu now hopes that with the Alaso faction gone, there will be unanimity among FDC voters. Apolot is now weakened because she has to pay Amongin’s over Shs300m court costs after unsuccessfully challenging her 2016 election in court. Voters now resent Amongin because she has been eating in two parliaments for now 10 years-the Uganda Parliament and the AU one based in South Africa.
ASEKENYE ESTER; She is an NRM lady working in State House/President’s Office and is already mobilizing support to oust Ngora woman MP Jacqueline Amongin. Her biggest campaign message, which has already disorganized Amongin and made her fail to balance the boat, is that the incumbent has served for too long and should give way for others to also eat.
MATHIAS WALUKAGA; The Kadongo kamu maestro is having his eyes on Nsangi Town Council Mayorship currently held by NRM strongman Hajji Kiyimba. Walukagga, famous for singing pro-opposition songs, is counting on a united opposition front to rally behind him including Bobi Wine, Dr. Besigye, Betty Nambooze, Erias Lukwago and others because all these have previously benefited from his music to mobilize support at election time.
HILDERMAN KIYAGA; The humble musician is a close confidante to new kingmaker Bobi Wine Kyagulanyi Sentamu who last Wednesday appeared on BBS TV and openly campaigned for him saying he is ideologically grounded and a very intelligent young man. Kiyaga has his eyes on Amelia Kyambadde’s Mawokota North for which he remains so far the only formidable opposition contestant. Kiyaga, who in the past backed Amelia, is standing on the People Power ticket and has often been taking Bobi Wine to Mawokota to address youths and women groups in the different Catholic Church parishes where Kiyaga’s support is strongest. Other fellow musicians have equally been very supportive as well as the Buganda kingdom-owned CBS radios. Amelia, who no longer talks to him, has reacted to all this with apprehension and hostility but voters are determined to ensure she lives on grounds that she doesn’t have work anymore. And the mood in her camp is said to be that of nervousness and panic and the economic transformation she initially promised hasn’t been witnessed 10 years later. This has fermented resentment towards her and voters remain angry that she betrayed them in the Togikwatako debate unlike Mpigi woman MP Sarah Nakawunde who voted no.
SUSAN NAKAWUKI; She recently confirmed to this news website she was completing her tour of duty in Arusha-based EALA and will be a candidate in Mawokota South MP race facing off with others like incumbent JB Lubyayi and FDC strongman Yusuf Nsibambi. Nakawuki says for many years she has been defying voters and now is the time to respond their call and offer herself. She has her residence near Equator and hasn’t yet decided to either run on NRM or independent ticket but says can’t be hostile to the NRM whose boss YK Museveni has been so good to her. She is hoping to benefit from a divided opposition and NRM camp (Lubyayi vs. K Bossa) to cruise to victory come 2021. She has plenty of money because in EALA she earns a monthly net pay of Shs50m without including allowances. Better still, EALA MPs don’t have materially impoverished constituents begging them for cash. This means they can save and keep all their money and this makes Nakawuki a solid candidate that could easily render JB Lubyayi irrelevant in 2021. To be continued. For comments, call, text or whatsapp us on 0703164755.
