By Wafula Malik
A few days ago, we wrote about the political misfortune that awaits singer Eddie Yawe as he continues with his political dreams to become a legislator in the Ugandan Parliament. Our story, plain as it was, attracted a lot of curiosity with many of our readers inboxing asking us to unveil more information about youthful tycoon Jimmy Lukwago (aka Kiira Young) who has suddenly come up to become the DP flag bearer for the Kiira Municipality MP Seat in 2021. It will be recalled that Eddie Yawe, a brother to Bobi Wine, has previously been the DP flag bearer for Kira and his supporters believed he naturally would continue to be so even in 2021.
RIVAL SPEAKS OUT;
We sought out Jimmy Lukwago for an interview and he confirmed he wants Yawe out of his way because “it’s time for Kiira to be led by its original sons and daughters as opposed to people who just came there for work.” A renowned real estate dealer in the Kireka-Namugongo neighborhood, Lukwago said he is merely responding to the calls by areas residents, especially DPs, to become their flag bearer in the 2021 elections. “I have mostly been involved in sports and philanthropy through my protestant church but the other day we were in Kasokoso to open the new structure for the area Church of Uganda. It was a good day for the Christians. We had fun and celebrated for such a glamorous structure that God’s people will be worshipping from. Some of the leaders said but Kira Young [his nickname because of his football club Kira Young FC] why don’t you join politics and usher in development-oriented leadership similar to what you have manifested so far? I thought it was a joke but similar calls kept being repeated by DP leaders each time we had a public function. That is how I made up my mind, upon consultation and said I must offer myself,” says Lukwago who greatly contributed to the reconstruction of the Kasokoso Church. He says then last weekend DP members gathered to celebrate the life of their colleague Karoli Kiwanuka (DP diehard who died a few months ago) and consensus was exhibited that it was him, and not Eddie Yawe anymore, that was to carry their flag in Kira for 2021 elections.
The same event was used to celebrate the election of DPs as LC1 executives. “Who I’m I to defy such people when this is a democracy? I have taken these calls very seriously and have started mobilization whereby every weekend I will be out doing political work. I’m aware there is my brother Eddie Yawe but the party members will have the last word on who they want and that’s what democracy and people power is all about,” says Lukwago on whose strength many Kira leaders won elections in 2016. One of these was Kira Division LC3 chairman Gerald Kizito who defeated DP’s Katuramu after Jimmy Lukwago played the game-changer role. He says this is something he doesn’t regret because, whereas he was NRM, Kizito is liberal-minded and had supported a lot of charity and development activities in Kira. “It’s not true that all NRM people are bad people. Katuramu was to win without a doubt but when I declared support for Kizito, things changed and I have nothing to regret there,” says Jimmy Lukwago who employs 100s of youths on his different real estate and construction sites in Kira Municipality. His business is to buy land, construct houses and sale them to working Kampalans and Ugandans doing kyeyo in the Diaspora. “That is how I have a large network of potential political support which the DPs want to tap into. I have many whose lives I impacted through Kira Young even when it’s now in abeyance. I have also reached out to many through my community projects through my protestant church initiatives. That’s why the other day I was recognized by Bishop Kityo Luwalira for the many churches I have built in this area and that’s the least I can do for the good Lord who has been so good to me,” he says as his phone rings non-stop. It’s mostly political mobilizers and volunteers calling to book him as guest of honor for the weekend fundraising events in the Kira area. Some are calling to remind him of the different groups he earlier on committed to meet and address over the weekend. He lives in a large house with a large compound but he says “at this rate, I will need a much bigger home because I have so many supporters who must have where to hold planning political meetings from.” He lives in Najjera-Bulabira zone not very far from Total Najjera. He says he has just relocated here having abandoned his smaller home in Kito along Mamerito road.
WHO IS HE?
Despite being a strong DP supporter, Jimmy Lukwago’s elderly parents are staunch NRM supporters. His mum is a councilor at Kira Municipality having previously done two terms as Wakiso district councilor. She is 60 now and in 2016 relocated to representing a smaller locality at the Municipality. She is one of the few renowned NRMs who survived the Semujju Nganda/Besigye electoral Tsunami in 2016. His daddy Derrick Lukwago is slightly over 70 and is the long serving LC1 chairman for Nsasa village where the family have their burial grounds. Mzee Derrick is as NRM as his wife. Mostly known for his involvement in sports that saw him try to run against Moses Magogo for the position of FUFA presidency before being curiously disqualified (following relegation of his Kira Young FC), Jimmy Lukwago was born 39 years ago and went to school up to Makerere University where he says he graduated as a teacher. He never taught beyond teaching practice and instead branched off into real estate business which he has done up to this day. Before Makerere, he studied at Brilliant High School in Kawempe (A’level) having earlier on studied at Kira Primary School and Real College Busunju (for O’level) which he says joined liked because he was an excellent footballer. He says when he made some money, he founded Kira Young FC in order to make the Kira area famous while increasing its visibility nationally. Indeed the team went up to Super League but was later relegated after its proprietor became broke and difficult requirements were selectively set to contain him after he manifested ambition to replace Lawrence Mulindwa as FUFA president. He says it proved a costly venture for one man to fund Kira FC because at some point, monthly expenses grew to Shs50m which he couldn’t continue raising singlehandedly. “But I’m happy many of the players we used to have went on to make it big and they are now doing well in other clubs like KCC and all this is because of what I started. It was surely the best way to create opportunities for our young people but to also increase Kira’s visibility unlike today when we only have Semujju cup where MP Nganda comes and gives the winning team a cow or even a goat. To me that is not adequate transformation for our young people and that dream still lives the moment we get serious funding partners to revive Kira Young,” he says throwing veiled burbs at the incumbent MP Semujju Nganda who he says should do much more to support the material welfare of Kira. But those who know him well say that having realized politics could be as lucrative, Lukwago gradually shifted his attention from football philanthropy to doing church community projects which he believes can bring in quick political dividends. In the last few months, he has funded the reconstruction and expansion of Nsasa Church of Uganda in his ancestral village. At the unveiling of the new church structure, Bp Kityo Luwalira prayed and blessed his political plans on being told he had contributed like 70% of the funding single handedly because this is largely a community of poor people.
There is also another church in Kijabijjo-Nakwero in which Lukwago has invested. Besides the Shs3m he gave them last Sunday, he offered to build a special memorial there. There is another church at a place called Kitukutu which has also benefited from his wallet. There is also St. Peters Catholic Church Bulindo for which he recently bought 300 bags of cement and thereby winning over hearts. Still in Bulindo, there is St. Joseph CoU which he singlehandedly plastered to completion. In Kira there is a place called Office z’Obusumba which he recently renovated on top of digging boreholes for the community in Bulindo. “Even without doing all this, Kira Division is my stronghold and I will defeat whoever contests against me there. It’s in Kasokoso and Kireka where we shall go 50-50 and with my Kira landslide I will be in Parliament come 2021,” says Lukwago who says was also an active UYD/DP activist at campus. He has also been partnering with Kira Municipality to tarmac some of the roads leading to his estates. This improves the value of his estates where a house goes for between Shs500m-Shs700m. Sometime back, the Christians of Kamuli Church of Uganda moved to reconstruct their church with Nabagereka being the guest of honor at one of the fundraising events. Godfrey Kirumira contributed Shs10m and Jimmy Lukwago rivalled him with Shs7.5m, according to Bukedde newspaper. Christians of Kinawataka CoU always count on him to fund the logistical requirements for their 31st December prayer crusade, a popular annual event ushering in the New Year. In place is a standing offer of Shs15m every year and its Lukwago’s wife who always delivers the money. It remains to be seen whether Kira voters, who took all the Museveni goodies under the Najjera Model in 2016 but voted Semujju Nganda, will reciprocate Jimmy Lukwago’s philanthropy works and elect him to Parliament on the DP ticket. For comments, call/text or whatsapp us on 0703164755.
