By Mulengera Reporters
The NUP’s list of flag bearers for local governments (councillors, LC5 Chairpersons and Mayors) is finally out ahead of Simon Byabakama’s nominations exercise which is a few days away from now.
Many of the so-called meal card politicians, as Norbert Mao christened them some years ago, are in jubilant mood and an even larger number are in tears cursing the day they were born.
Those left out plus their supporters are bitter and spent much of Friday night ranting on social media where they kept posting belligerent voice notices, castigating the NUP party decision-making processes.
The cards’ allocation for Wandegeya parish in Kawempe South is among those that are most contested with many castigating Chairman Fred Nyanzi who they say caused an elderly lady to be favoured for the position of Wandegeya parish woman councillor at the expense of a much younger contestant.
Allegations of nepotism and favouritism have all been made while demonizing the NUP party leadership. Yet Kampala Central has been most surprising. Whereas Moses Katabu got the ticket for Mayoral seat, as was widely expected, notorious foot soldier Sauda Madada’s predicament left many in total shock and consternation.
Renowned for having huge sense of self importance and entitlement, Madada had positioned herself for Kampala Central woman councillor slot only to be disregarded. The party considered someone else and this left a sour taste in the mouths of many foot soldiers who believed their leader Madada deserved the ticket given her history and Full Figure-like notoriety when it comes to supporting Bobi Wine.
She is also a key pillar in the political caliculus of outgoing KCCA Speaker Zahara Luyirika who has been relying on her to brutalize supporters of her better-placed rival Shamim Malende. The two have been quarrelling for the position of Kampala woman MP and Madada’s alienation has signalled many as to the actual influence Luyirika wields especially inside the NUP decision-making arena.
For Lord Councillors and staff working at KCCA headquarters at City Hall, Madada’s alienation was good news. Many dislike her at City Hall because of the bad manners and physical assault acts she unleashed for the period she served there as a personal assistant to Luyirika. She would spy on and even beat up NUP Lord Councillors whenever she perceived them as disloyal, hostile and not being there for her boss Luyirika enough.
In fact, many of the enemies Luyirika ended up getting as she served at City Hall as Speaker were largely an outcome of her PA Madada’s belligerent style of going to war with many people with reckless abandon.
In Nakawa, supporters of Innocent Tegusulwa of the Toli Mwavu fame, are equally licking wounds resulting from their bruised egos as their man has equally been dethroned. Poor Tegusulwa was dropped from being City Lord Councillor to being mere Division Councilor with the promise of being made Division Speaker or deputy Mayor under Nubia Li. (For comments on this story, get back to us on 0705579994 [WhatsApp line], 0779411734 & 041 4674611 or email us at mulengeranews@gmail.com).
