By Our Reporters
Former Minister Henry Banyenzaki (also ex-Rubanda West MP) has publicly clashed with Eng Dennis Sabiiti who defeated him in 2016. This was during a fundraising function to raise money for Rubanda Technical School located in the Town Council. There was also a graduation ceremony that same day which attracted many political heavyweights including Minister David Bahati and Kabale woman MP Catherine Ndamira among others. Banyenzaki, whose absence has created lots of nostalgic feelings among voters, got a standing ovation when called to speak. This made Sabiiti to become uneasy to the extent that when his time came, he said he didn’t have much to say “except marveling at some people [veiled reference to Banyenzaki] who keep saying this is their constituency.” This provoked Banyenzaki to stand up and fight back thus: “My brother this isn’t war. I’m going to defeat you come 2021 just take heart.” The bitter exchange split the crowd with some siding with Banyenzaki and others with Sabiiti.
This prompted Ndamira to get the microphone calling for calmness. She urged both of them to be cautious because her experience is Rubanda West voters can be very hard to predict. “The way they loved Hon Banyenzaki I was shocked how they dumped him in 2016. So my brothers take things easy,” she counseled as Banyenzaki insisted on battling Sabiiti right there. Like all the other incumbents present, Bahati said it was too early to begin policking and there was no reason for the two leaders to pull ropes at a church function. Banyenzaki disagreed with this saying “my brothers it’s already campaign time.” He wondered why the ruling NRM’s Central Executive Committee (CEC) recently converged at Chobe and pronounced its support for the President as sole candidate for 2021 if it’s not campaign time already. Indeed it’s not going to be easy for Sabiiti whose lukewarm performance (when compared to Banyenzaki’s days as a backbencher) has caused many electors to regret. He isn’t outspoken anywhere in Kampala like Banyenzaki who put Rubanda West on map as his outspokenness always captured media attention until Museveni made him minister and thereby compromising him into total silence. Yet that isn’t all Sabiiti will have to reckon with. To Museveni diehard supporters (and there are many in rural Rubanda), his Togikwatako vote (against the Magyezi Bill) won’t go unpunished. He also remains emotionally broken and subdued after being indicted in the SGR report that was authored by the Parliamentary Committee on Physical Infrastructure from which he was expelled for conflict of interest. For comments, call, text or whatsapp us on 0703164755.
