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 profile some of these political actors who are menacingly looking at several MPs’ constituencies with a view to retire them in public interest come 2021. They are as follows:
KIRUMIRA CHARLES; He is brother to Mukono Mayor George Kagimu and recently returned from Kyeyo in UK to become Kyotera County MP on the DP ticket. He stands a chance because Haruna Kasolo has politically been cracking very rapidly even within the NRM.
SAM LUBEGA; He is being pushed by members of the DP reunion caravan to vie for Kato Lubwama’s Rubaga South MP Seat. Lubwama says he isn’t worried and his supporters (known as SOLIDA) have vowed to eat up Mukaku like Sumbusa come 2021.
FRED NYANZI; Bobi Wine’s elder brother told this news website in a recent interview that it’s his time to become Kampala Central MP. He is a veteran in DP politics and sometime back angrily defected to NRM to protest betrayal by Charles Musoke Serunjogi who fronted a one Mabirizi to stand for KCCA area councilor when Nyanzi considered it his time. In the past in the early 2000s, he was prevailed upon by then Kampala Mayor Sebaana Kizito in favor of Mzee Francis Rwego who was NRM. Nyanzi now says he has been sacrificed for too long and this is his time to serve as MP Central. He told us he is coming to end Nsereko’s leadership which he said was synonymous with political double standards of not being clear where he belongs between NRM and opposition.
LATIF SEBAGGALA; He has been Kawempe North MP Since 2001 and voters are now saying he has come of age to leave the seat for someone else. This has pushed him to buy into proposals by the DP reunion caravan group to offer himself against his fellow Muslim Lord Mayor Erias Lukwago on whose popularity he rode in 2016 to keep his seat after DP fronted Suleiman Kidandala against him. The reunion caravan group argue Latif has enough money to mount a strong challenge on Erias Lukwago (along with Nambooze) whom they hate for refusing to declare war on Kizza Besigye whom they consider to be a worse obstacle than Museveni to their political schemes. There is also a one Bashir Kamisi the DP Kawempe Chairman who is eyeing Mubarak Munyagwa’s Kawempe South.
ABUBAKER KAWALYA; Nabillah Nagayi’s brother currently serves as KCCA council at City Hall where he represents Rubaga North on the FDC ticket. He is already campaigning in Rubaga North to replace Moses Kasibante. Whereas Kawalya has easily excited those who are money-minded, people who are in this for a cause are sticking with Kasibante on grounds that much as he is mean and doesn’t easily part with money, Kasibante is predictable and highly committed to the cause for political change. Kawalya has won over guys who call into radio stations to praise him and these are contemptuously known by voters to be nothing but guns for hire. Kawalya, who many are wondering where he has got so much money in such a short time, recently commenced construction of a plush house in Kawala near Councilor Nampera’s home and it’s being constructed at a very terrific speed. The politically sophisticated are saying if he is indeed genuine in strengthening opposition, Kawalya should locate another constituency held by NRM and liberate it as opposed to antagonizing a well solidified predictable opposition incumbent like Kasibante.
ENOCK MUSOKE: He is a DP veteran who has been standing for Kyaddondo North MP Seat since the CA days in the 1990s. He has now been fronted by a DP faction led by Nansana Mayor Regina Bakitte who badly wants to revenge against her predecessor Wakayima Nsereko who too wants to get back his MP Seat from NRM’s Kasule Sebunya to whom it was given by Justice Steven Kavuma using the Court of Appeal which he headed then. Wakayima remains very popular and has previously defeated Enock Musoke in earlier elections. In 2016, Enock Musoke stood for Nansana Mayorship as an Independent and lost to Bakitte but now hatred for Wakayima has united them.
STEPHEN SEKIGOZI; He is the DP man for Busiro South where he continues to battle Peter Sematimba of the NRM. Sekigozi is a sociable very generous city lawyer whose father Patrick Musisi and brother JB Mutebi have previously represented the same constituency.
EDRINE KIBUUKA; He is the DP man being fronted for Busiro North MP Seat currently represented by Dennis Ssozi Galabuzi of the NRM who replaced Gilbert Bukenya. There is also Kastur Bukenya who previously carried the DP flag against Prof Bukenya.
TONY SEMPEBWA; He is the Nangabo Kasangati Town Council Mayor currently and has for long been working well with Dr. Kizza Besigye having belonged to Ssuubi. His association with Ssuubi in 2011 annoyed DP to the extent of removing the flag from him. He came as independent under KB and retained his seat. But in 2016 he felt betrayed when an FDC candidate stood against him and he still won and is now very close to Bobi Wine Kyagulanyi Sentamu who remains cagey on who to back between Sempebwa and Ssimbwa of TASO. There is also Nkunyingi Muwadda, the wealthy FDC-leaning lawyer and Apollo Kantinti as well. They all want the same seat in case Mr. Wine doesn’t seek reelection.
PATRICK NSANJA; The NRM diehard is back to reclaim his Ntenjeru South MP Seat from Fred Baseke who has since fallen out with his mentor Aidah Nantaba aka Maama Kayunga. Nsanja has been lobbying for the RDC post and on failing to get any resorted to early campaigns for 2021.
MUKASA MBIDDE UPDATE: In Masaka, Mbidde has continued moving mountains and the jobs he has created at his two construction sites have endeared him to more people. Mathias Mpuuga the incumbent Masaka Municipality MP has history in the struggle and has been very consistent but the problem he faces now is that the new voting crowd of people power are too young and they aren’t even interested in history. They want something-and now. This is where Mbidde, being very extravagant, has made the difference. His Susan Love beach in Nabugabo and the modern boats he has imported have given some money-earning opportunities for the young people as well his ongoing multi-storied hotel construction. Mbidde’s arcade is being supervised by one of Kamuzu’s sons called Samir and it’s located on Mawogola Streets. Young people are already cashing in working as porters etc. In contrast, they say they haven’t eaten anything from Mpuuga whose residential house in Soweto has remained an incomplete site for all these years. Like Mbidde and others, Mpuuga (whose office Hajjat Brovad recently closed) isn’t born in Masaka Municipality. He just came there his birth place being Lwengo in Bukoto South. Voters accuse Mpuuga of being stingy and some refer to him as “Owe Lweza” to depict his meanness when it comes to parting with dime. On Boxing Day, Mbidde brought Chameleon to campaign for him during a boat cruise at Nabugabo where his Mbidde Foundation new boats were unveiled for the first time. Mbidde sat somewhere in the VIP section with his man Haruna Kasolo the Museveni minister from Kyotera. The same Chameleon bashed Masaka Mayor Kayemba Afaayo who was in the same audience and refused to dance with him saying he wasn’t here for politics but later on, he changed color and called Mbidde who danced with him as the crowd cheered. Chameleon in the end praised Mbidde and told the crowd “mumulabira nga ddala” which means elect this man. Mbidde has also won over Bobi’s brother Eddie Yawe who always sneak into Masaka to morale boost his camp. This has created the impression that Mr. Wine too might endorse Mbidde. But the infighting between Mbidde, Kayemba and Mpuuga could create confusion and pave way for Museveni’s blue eyed boy Herman Sentongo to win the seat in 2021.
SARAH KANYIKE: She deputizes Kampala Lord Mayor Erias Lukwago and wants to run for Kampala woman MP whose incumbent Nabillah Nagayi is someone she has competed with before. Kanyike is DP and still counts on her party to give the ticket though even Shifrah Lukwago is there in the background wanting the same. In 2016 she was politically sacrificed in favor of Nakiwala Kiyingi who the party considered to be easier to sell to the voters. Kanyike will have to contend with Dr. Stella Nyanzi who stands highest chance of all people aspiring for the Seat.
SOLOME NAKAWEESI: The corporate big lady was famous for the controversial play Vagina-Monologues which she promoted in the early 2000s as a way of publicizing domestic violence against women. She has been very active in the NGO world and the women movement just like Stella Nyanzi. She is also vocal and very outspoken on sexuality issues. She has previously served as PA to Nabagereka before becoming CEO for Nabagereka (charity) Foundation. In 2016, she joined the JPAM taskforce and served as chief of staff for his campaign headquarters in Nakasero. She has since been lured from Go-Forward to join DP and Mao’s party is fronting her for the position of woman MP Wakiso district. They say she has big profile to manage long-serving Rose Seninde who has been Wakiso MP since 2001 when the district was created from Mpigi. However, even within DP Salome will have to first overcome Betty Naluyima the Wakiso district LC5 Vice Chairperson who is already canvassing votes for the same.
KENNETH PAUL KAKANDE: The DP publicist is politically at cross roads now because he has concluded there is no way he can ever become MP Nakawa Division which he has been trying since 2001. He is divided between Sempala Kigozi’s Makindye Ssaabagabo and Lugazi Municipality where he is born. Seruwula, a teacher at Naalya SS, says he won’t give way to Kakande for the Lugazi seat because he has been contesting there before. Kakande has been advised by some in DP headquarters to resurrect his dream for Makindye Ssaabagabo because the incumbent Ssajjalyabeene Sempala Kigozi lacks swag and isn’t very strong on the ground having fallen out with his area Mayor Gerald Lumbuye. In 2016, Issa Kikungwe wished to be replaced by Kakande but the area DP leaders ganged up and frustrated the deal prompting Kikungwe to give up. Kakande had been very close to Kikungwe and would even accompany him in India for brain surgical operations.
DAVIS RWAMUHUMBU; He is a radio personality who recently joined FDC and wants to carry its flag for Fort Portal Municipality. He faces incumbent Alex Ruhunda and others like Solomon Ruhunda, Major David Nkojo of OWC and Tadeo Amanyire.
VICTORIA RUSOKE; She is reclaiming her Kabarole woman MP Seat against Sylvia Rwabwogo who faces others like Beatrice Karungi Balya (daughter to Brig Ronnie Balya) who works with Energy Ministry, Arua Resident State Attorney Cerina Karungi and business lady Irene Birungi.
PETER SEMPA; The NRM-leaning owner of Kirinda Nyendo-based KIDS care school wants to oust Bukoto East MP Florence Namayanja. He has used his orphanage programs to endear himself to voters.
JUDE MBABALI; The Masaka LC5 Chairman has lost plenty of allies who favored his ascendance to the chair in 2016. This has emboldened his predecessor Joseph Kalungi of the NRM to plot a major come back in 2021. Kalungi was recently appointed to coordinate the mass rural electrification program which has taken him to almost all the villages in Masaka. Tycoons like Babirye Kabanda that funded his election aren’t very enthusiastic anymore and Mbabali’s biggest problem is absenteeism. The feeling is he is always doing his legal work in Kampala before retiring to Pope Paul for a drink in the evenings. This has left Janet Kisekka, his vice to be one doing work most of the time. Mbabali might be pushed to return to Sekandi’s Bukoto Central come 2021. He believes he has now built sufficient political capital.
KASSE MUBANDA: She is the wealthy NRM widow who Babirye Kabanda ousted in 2016 to become Masaka woman MP. Mubanda is these days resident in Kabonera from where she enjoys her UN pension and it’s some good money which she continues to use to traverse villages in preparation for 2021. Though she may not win, because of being on the NRM ticket, Mubanda is the one Babirye Kabanda is fearing most.
ISSA KATO; The national coordinator of NRM Poor Youth network wants to grab Kampala Central MP Seat from Muhammad Nsereko who has served now for 10 years. Kato wants to vie on NRM ticket and currently serves as Museveni’s Private Secretary in charge of the tourism sector having operated tour and travel business for a while. He hails from Kayunga just like Hajji Musa Katongole and hopes to ride on the old UTODA campaign network to have big impact on the upcoming political season regarding the Kampala MP Seat.
JEREMIAH KAMURARI; The Isingiro LC5 Chairman is having his eyes on the Bukanga County MP Seat currently represented by Stephen Kangwagye who controversially fought Nathan Byanyima and edged him out. Kamurari, who is renowned for being very controversial and rebellious in his approach, says Kangwagye has failed to use his closeness to the president to lobby for improved service delivery especially roads for livestock farmers to access cattle markets.
JAMES MUBIRU; He is very close to both Bobi and Barbie Kyagulanyi and has his eyes on Rubaga North where he has lately been very active propagating the People Power message in markets and slums where the majority poor live. He remains one of the guys very close to Bobi Wine, something that puts other Rubaga PP activists like Henry Lubowa in political jeopardy of some sort. Closeness to Bobi has given flamboyant Mubiru lots of visibility on TV and the social media space.
MPAKA MWINE; The Western region youth MP has his eyes on Mbarara Municipality MP Seat currently held by Micheal Tumusiime who has lately been discredited by social media allegations. Tumusiime is among those who got sharp shooter escorts from the President but this has in Mbarara become counterproductive as voters say they are always inconvenienced by his convoy as he forces his way through the traffic jams. Mpaka is already taking advantage and has found favor with the Municipality voters who especially liked the way he voted against the imposition of the Mobile Money tax. His Mbarara FC too has taken Mpaka places and broadened the potential for his political mobilization network. We spoke to him and he confirmed he will be taking on Tumusiime because voters have ceaselessly been calling on him to come and rescue them from a man who they say is too aloof to remain their MP. Medard Bitekyerezo too has his eyes on the same as well as Vincent Kyamadidi of the FDC party. Voters say much as he is NRM, Mpaka is electable because he has demonstrated being independent-minded on issues which concern them unlike Micheal Tumusiime who has only excelled at sycophancy. They also liked the way he daringly took on MTN suing them for insensitivity. For comments, call, text or whatsapp us on 0703164755.
