By Mulengera Reporters
During the impending Kawempe North by-elections-related stakeholders engagement meeting on Monday at Tick Hotel, Electoral Commissioner Dr. Simba Sali Kayunga appealed to his personal history as a long time area resident to implore voters and candidates to deliberately work towards ensuring that the entire exercise exhibits political maturity and goes peacefully.
Dr. Simba, who was signalled by Buganda region’s EC chief Tolbert Musinguzi to come to the microphone and say something, reminded fellow Kawempe residents of the fact that their area has over the years significantly impacted Uganda’s political development and as such, the rest of Uganda will justifiably be expecting high levels of civic awareness and political maturity to be exhibited during the campaigning period.
Aware of the huge publicity the by-election campaigns will most likely attract to the Constituency, Dr. Simba said this is an opportunity for the candidates and their supporters plus campaign agents to demonstrate to the rest of the country that Kawempe will always be Kawempe.
The celebrated Political Science Professor from Makerere said there is a huge story he can tell about why Kawempe residents ought to be proud while carrying themselves around with a lot of swag but was unable to because of the limited time.
Simba remnisced how it was in Kawempe North and nowhere else that Nuhu Mbogo, the patriarch of Islam in Uganda, was buried. “He was the brother to Kabaka Mutesa I. That’s all significant and we shouldn’t take it for granted,” said Simba who was among the EC Commissioners who came for the meeting with EC Chairman Justice Simon Byabakama.
Not done, Dr. Simba also made reference to the fact that Kassim Male, the first Muslim in Uganda to become a Minister, also hailed from and was buried in the same Kawempe North constituency.
“That actually is where our other great political hero Abu Mayanja drew his inspiration from to do and accomplish all the milestones he registered in his political career. So, our area has a lot of history in Uganda’s political development. Let’s be peaceful and law abiding throughout the campaign period. Let’s ensure there is no violence or any other mischief because the rest of Uganda is going to be watching. Let’s show them how we do it in Kawempe North,” said Dr. Simba in his flawless Luganda. He has roots in Bugisu but he speaks flawless Luganda ostensibly because of his many years with Kawempe.
Other Commissioners present included Vice Chairperson Aisha Lubega who greeted the gathering in the Islamic way, Stephen Tashobya and Anthony Okello from Amolatar. The Ag EC Secretary Richard Babo Kamugisha was also present and was given chance to say hello to the people.
Byabakama used the occasion to call for total compliance with all campaign guidelines (outlawing traffic-disrupting processions, academic qualifications’ forgery, non-observance of campaigning time ending at 6pm, importing foreigners to vote, violence and voter bribery) besides popularising the ongoing national voters register update exercise.
The EC Chairman also at length spoke about preparations for the Kawempe North campaigns which will culminate into voting on 13th March. From Monday 27th to Friday 31st, the register update will be undertaken to enable Kawempe North voters turned 18 to register, those desiring to change from one polling station to another to do so and those already registered to confirm their exact particulars like DoB, photo and spelling of their names etc.
Whereas candidates will be nominated on 26th-27th February whereafter campaigning will commence, 10th-11th March will be dedicated to training polling officials, a session Byabakama said candidates agents will be free to attend to partake of the same training as they prepare for the polling day. He promised highest levels of transparency to ensure everything goes well.
There will also be time dedicated for the display of the voters register at each of the Constituency’s 197 polling stations. This will enable the stakeholders, residents and LC1 officials to point out, agree upon and cause deletion of those who have since died or left the area to go live elsewhere. This process also involves work done by the election tribunals based at parish levels to ensure such deletion is done fairly and transparently.
Besides the 9 parishes of Kawempe North, some of the voters in Kawempe South (which has 12 parishes) will on the same day (13th March) have the opportunity to elect their new Councilor representing the politically very volatile Kazo-Angola parish at Kawempe Division. This is to replace the former Councilor for that parish who died in a road accident some time back. (For comments on this story, get back to us on 0705579994 [WhatsApp line], 0779411734 & 041 4674611 or email us at mulengeranews@gmail.com).
