By Mulengera Reporters
We recently reported about Eng Charles Wilson Ggala, the 53-year-old tycoon based in Nakasozi Budo, who has vigorously stepped forward to oust Busiro East MP Medard Segona (See related reporting here https://mulengeranews.com/chaos-in-kyengera-as-2nd-busiro-tycoon-demands-mp-medard-segona-exit/). Having been in the field for barely a month, Ggala now says in his consultative meetings, the constituency’s opinion and elected leaders have unanimously embraced his bid but have pleaded with him to very closely associate with People Power while remaining an independent platform contender for the Seat.
“The consultations have so far gone very well and we have got a lot of very encouraging feedback including people in the three Sub Counties of Nsangi, Mende and Wakiso Town Council unanimously urging me to carry the People Power flag in this race. They are saying much as Segona says he is the People Power coordinator, they aren’t feeling him on the ground anymore. They have liked my programs and all the political values I stand for including being a crusader for political change in this country. They are only saying please embrace people power and then we kill you with votes,” Ggala told journalists at his palatial Budo residence this rainy Saturday morning. “These are real People Power adherents in the community and they have actually already secured a meeting for me to meet H.E. Bobi Wine at his Magere State House tomorrow [Sunday] and we shall be going to formally introduce ourselves to him.”
Ggala says majority voters appreciate the fact that Segona has been an eloquent debater in Parliament and on radio but they curse him for being indifferent to their material needs. During the media briefing, one of the Boda riders’ leaders faulted Segona for being too stingy and indifferent about their plight. “It’s true he talks well but about national issues and never our own local issues here as a community. When we bring our issues to him since he is a lawyer to help us, he sarcastically laughs us off saying your cases are too local and petty for me. One time we got him to stop over at our Boda Boda stage in Kiteemu but he never gave us anything yet he knows how we are suffering under this lockdown. He only threw Shs2,000 at us and rolled his car mirrors and headed home yet it’s us who initially welcomed him to this place in 2010 who he was coming to replace Susan Nakawuki,” he says.
Another elderly man recalled a fundraising event at their church where Segona was invited as a guest of honor ahead of NRM’s Haji Abdul Kiyimba. “We considered him a better guest of honor being our area MP but we ended up regretting because Kiyimba, who isn’t even seeking reelection [as Nsangi Mayor], gave us Shs2m but the MP gave us only Shs100,000 saying that is all he had. He likes telling us that the one who took from you, took from me too. I’m as broke as yourself,” the nearly tearful elderly man said. It also emerged during the same media event that some of the people now campaigning for Eng Ggala are DP diehards who have since become uncomfortable with Segona.
Whereas some fault him for materially not helping them, others are unhappy with him for joining other renegades to resist the mainstream DP leadership headed by Norbert Mao. This is how one DP elder made his point: “We have twice escorted him to victory on the conviction we are practicing the DP motto of truth and justice but we don’t believe in that anymore when it comes to Hon Medard Segona. What reason would they have to fight the party leadership if it’s not about working for people with money to destroy our party?” The old man added: “Since none of them is bothered about preservation of the party and the values of DP, let’s also move on and flock with Eng Ggala who will have concern for our problems. The good thing he is a Muganda too and a well-established family man that no one can accuse of joogo [contempt] like they did to Emmanuel Matovu Magoola whom they called an alien from Busoga.”
An overjoyed Ggala said he was glimpsing victory and vowed not to let down voters. “I have learnt one thing and that’s humility. It’s what these people are faulting our brother about. We know as opposition people we can be limited when it comes to materially working for our people but there is a lot more we can do to impact their lives using that office of MP than our brother has done,” he said adding that he is aware Segona is a big man in the PP top hierarchy “but my strength will ultimately lie with the people themselves and we expect our bosses [bakama baffe] in the People Power Kamwokya headquarters to do proper assessment to rrealize that the voters have moved on and are no longer with Hon Medard Segona anymore.”
He says Segona has been even lucky because none of his predecessors (Nakawuki, Mike Sebalu etc) ever did two terms. Nakawuki did one term (2006-2011) just like Sebalu but Segona is now bargaining for 3rd term. Segona equalizes with Ggala in that they are both settlers in Busiro East as opposed to being born there. They both emigrated and settled in Nakasozi Budo where their respective residences are within spitting distance. They are separated by one house on this upscale hilly neighborhood which is the equivalent of Munyonyo or Muyenga or even Kololo of Nsangi/Kyengera Township. Ggala, who says he is more than prepared for the campaign, is optimistic of becoming the next area MP and says getting accepted to carry the PP flag will only strengthen his bid ahead of Segona, Matovu and whoever the ruling NRM will front.
GGALA BRIEF PROFILE
Ggala is using his wife, a staunch born again Christian who fellowships at Pastor Tom Mugerwa’s Mutundwe Church, to reach out to especially women and youth groups. His financial support is channeled to individual boda riders and also to women and youths who have chosen to organize themselves into groups. He seems to be NRM-leaning though and his generosity has wooed many to rethink their allegiance to stingy Medard Segona. Ggala maintains he is independent; not affiliated to any political party. Aged 53, Eng Ggala hails from Kikungwe Kalisizo rural Sub County in Kyotera district.
His great grandfather was a Mailo owner, a status bestowed upon him by the Kabaka of Buganda in appreciation of his distinguished service to the Kingdom. His ancestry is in Nabigasa Sub County Kyotera district where Mzee Kapupa Nekemeya, his paternal grandfather, was buried. Younger Ggala did his PLE in the 1970s at St. Joseph PS Nabbingo whereafter he joined King’s College Buddo (for O’level) and then Old Kampala SS where he did his A’level ending up at Makerere University where he graduated with a Bachelor’s degree in Civil Engineering. He then relocated to UK and US for work and while their, he produced some of his children. Through all this, Eng Ggala (a strong family man) has always counted on the solidarity of his wife Sylivia Ggala, an active worshipper at Victory Believers Church of Nakasozi Buddo. An O/G of Nabisunsa Girls, Mariam High Nkozi & ISBAT University; Sylivia also worships with Pastor Tom Mugerwa’s Mutundwe Christian Fellowship.
Ggala, owner of the most expensive palatial house in the Nakasozi Budo neighborhood, accumulated much of his wealth through his manufacturing business which he operates in Kawempe Division. He is also a leading exporter of processed cow horns to markets like North America, China and Europe. One of his flagship exportation companies is called Horn Products Uganda Ltd and he has been in this manufacturing and exportation business for more than 20 years. Voters have been attracted to him for many reasons including the fact that he is humble, amiable and economically well-established meaning he isn’t coming to Parliament to look for livelihood. Equally true, Segona was financially well capacitated when he first became MP in 2011 largely deriving from his very successful legal practice under Lukwago & Co Advocates.
Besides his vast property in Nakasozi Budo, Eng Ggala also owns rental apartments in Lungujja where he used to reside before relocating to more spacious Budo. He also has a 300 acre commercial farm in Kayabwe near Mpigi and another one sitting on several square miles of land in Mubende Kasanda. He is also a well-travelled businessman both within the region and globally. He is a devout born again Christian married to one wife for the last 21 years and has children including some who live and work abroad in United States and Europe.
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