By Joachim Twino
Veteran NRM politician Nusura Tiperu has previously lost two elections in her native West Nile region. First was Yumbe where she was rejected in 2006 having served as their pioneer woman MP 2001-2006. In what many saw as being greedy, in 2016 Nusura (who was still serving as EALA MP) vied for Koboko North MP Seat & lost to Asiku Elly of NRM. He had thumped her in NRM primaries 2015. Having completed the EALA duty barely three years ago, Nusura turned to Arua Municipality where she wantsto become MP having fluked party primaries and got the NRM flag after Ibrahim Abiriga’s death. The primaries were so sham that even NRM EC Chairman Tanga Odoi termed it “less than credible” at Arua Municipal Council main hall as he handed her the flag. Tanga felt the poll was rushed and candidates didn’t have enough time to campaign. His honest viewincited losers to revolt and gang up on Nusura. As per now, none of them is behind her. Some have gone silent and others are openly hostile to her including Jackson Atima (husband to Maracha woman MP Rose Anyaka) who is one of the 12 candidates vying for the seat. He came 3rd behind Nusura and Angupale Swadiq who is also NRM party chairman Arua Municipality. Angupare immediatelytold reporters “my party has made a very big mistake to front Nusura Tiperu; if she was rejected by rural voters in Yumbe and Koboko as not good enough, how can she convince the elites in Arua town that she is electable?” He then corroborated Tanga’s observations discrediting the election. He furiously said “which sort of election was this with no register, no election materials, no basins and no ink to mark out those who have voted already?” He also said in absence of a credible register, many of his would-be voters were turned away to the advantage of Nusura. He declared he wouldn’t campaign for her. “She is clearly not a team player. She even blacklisted me &when I call her I can’t go through. She doesn’t want to take my calls,” Angupale said. Initially, Abiriga’s widow embraced Nusura but shunned her after family members and some NRM leaders advised Nusura wasn’t someone good to do business with because she doesn’t keep allies. Some Abiriga family members have since warmed up to Jackson Atima, a wealthy independent candidate who stands a chance to win given the way he has shrewdly exploited divisions in NRM and FDC camps to endear himself to voters. Atima is commended for the solidarity and contributions he made to the family during bereavement. In contrast, Abiriga allies say Nusura wasn’t as supportive during their man’s funeral. Nusura’s bid has further been complicated by the fact that she skipped the candidates’ campaign program harmonization meeting the EC organized after nominations. It was in that meeting that candidates submitted their programs for harmonization to avoid their processions clashing. The EC went ahead to ratify programs for the 11 candidates without hers. When she finally started campaigning, confusion ensued as her campaign program often collided with what the EC had ratified without integrating hers. This has prompted some legal minds, like Caleb Alaka who is backing Robert Ejiku, to consider challenging Nusura’s candidature in court in case she wins. Last week, Nusura told this news website her program had finally been fixed by the EC, something that has incited hostility and accusations of favoritism against the election body.
CHASING FOR THE CASH;
Whereas others started campaigning immediately, Nusura who had a modest crowd on nomination day drove to Kampala and stayed away for the first week of the campaigns. Her supporters kept telling voters she was in Kampala to look for Museveni to get the campaign cash. Instead she returned empty-handed, a thing that fermented more frustration in her camp. Some of her supporters resorted to falsely accusing Minister Gabriel Ajedra who is the NRM chairman for Arua district. He is also the former Municipality MP (2011-2016) preceding Abiriga. It was claimed the campaign cash was released through Ajedra who didn’t release it simply because he politically hates Nusura. The two are renowned foes and his supporters fear a resurgent Nusura might shrink his space in cabinet. In fact NRM supporters, uniting under NRM West Nile Cadres Network, have written a document highlighting why Ajedra is an obstacle to NRM progress in Arua. They sent it to the President urging action. The network leaders include Afedra Herbert and Ulga Mtara. Clearly operating on a strategy to play victim to reap a sympathy vote, Nusura at some point campaigned with a cannulato manifest her frailty and publicly wept/cried when rival supporters branded her political prostitute having previously stood in Yumbe, Koboko and now Arua.
BRYAN WHITE WEIGHS IN;
About 10 days ago, controversial philanthropist Bryan White stormed Arua with all the swag he is renowned for. He had his usual team of henchmen. His first stop was Roseville Hotel where he addressed reporters. Immediately rumor spread, exciting the NRM/Nusura camp, that he had carried Shs7bn to support charitable causes in a manner that would benefit Nusura since she is the official candidate for the party (NRM) which he (White) supports. It’s now coming to two weeks since he moved to Arua and the youth and women groups that have received his financial support have vowed to elect Nusura even when Bryan White is yet to openly/publicly campaignfor her. His henchmen have indicated to the local residents that it’s in their master’s interest to have a candidate favorable to Mzee win. Bryan carried with him trucks loaded with all manner of domestic items and the trucks are kept in the military barracks which Nusura supporters too consider favorable ground. Even at Golden Coutts hotel where Bryan stays, his presence is widely perceived as something bolstering the ruling party candidate. Golden Coutts, where the town’s poverty-stricken women and youth flock hoping to catch the celebrity’s generous eye, is owned by Arua tycoon Idi Taban. He owns KKT Buses and is a staunch NRM supporter. Unconfirmed reports show that Bryan will be camping in Arua for what remains a very unclear mission up to 13th August, two days to polling day. It’s understood his philanthropy activities will build pro-Nusura momentum until the President campaigns there. “He is officially here to do philanthropy but Nusura the NRM candidate stands to benefit from those charitable activities,” said a local political pundit sarcastically adding that “the guy’s being here has created inflation of sorts because of the big cash he keeps dishing out to women and youth groups.”
POOR SPEAKER;
Some have attributed Nusura’s failure to excel so far on the fact that she isn’t an eloquent public speaker. “She has been campaigning actively now for more than a week but her message remains vague. Not even her ardent supporters can clearly tell what she stands for. She has no manifesto and keeps saying I will follow the one of Abiriga. This has worked against her because voters say but Abiriga stood for nothing and they didn’t practically benefit anything from him. When she faces tough questions, she emotionally breaks down crying. Sometimes she says she is for the Museveni manifesto but voters are saying that is too general for the whole country yet Arua has its specific problems they want the new MP to specifically address in very clear terms,” said one of the Arua-based political pundits we spoke to for this article. Voters are also skeptical as to why Nusura, who has been Ugandan and EALA MP since leaving campus [1996-2016], operates from her father’s house in Oli Division having leased her own house near URA offices to one of the local NGOs operating in Arua. To some this is indicative of the lukewarm commitment she has for the Municipality. “If she can blacklist a person like Swadiq well-knowing he is the NRM chairman and he can’t call and get her, how can we risk electing such a person for the remaining two years? Where shall we access her from?” said an elderly Boda rider adding that generally there is political fatigue towards veteran politicians.
OTHER CANDIDATES;They include Francis Nyero, Alfred Nyakuni, Sunday Moses Anguandia, DP’s Kennedy Madira, Robert Ejiku, Jackson Atima Lee, Safi Bavuga, Simon Avutia and JEEMA’s Jaffer Alekua (left FDC after party refused to hold primaries). Others are FDC’s Bruse Musema and FDC-leaning independent Kassiano Wadri who is riding on his record as PAC Chairman which saw two Ministers (Syda Bbumba & Kiddu Makubuya) fired to highlight his effectiveness as MP. He is also very energetic in his speeches, which has pulled crowds to him. However, critics argue there is no way Wadri who failed to develop Terego for the 15 years he was MP (to the extent that angry voters threw him out) can be trusted to impact on Arua Municipality in the remaining two years. Apart from pro-Muntu MPs who got more disgruntled with last week reshuffle, Wadri also has support of some FDC leaders in Arua.
They include ex-woman MP Christine Abia (now owns Arua’s best primary school), Arua Hill Division chairman Nezima Ochogoru and area female councilor. Musema, whose backing is mostly from Najjanankumbi, is counting on Col Kizza Besigye, Nandala Mafabi, POA and other defiance leaders. Arua district returning officer Ruth Angom says the campaigns are moving smoothly so far.For comments, call, text or whatsapp us on 0703164755.
