By Mulengera Reporters
Opposition supporters in Wakiso district, mostly those who espouse Dr. Kizza Besigye’s Defiance approach, have coalesced around wealthy singer Mariam Ndagire with the ultimate goal of fronting her for Wakiso Woman MP Seat in 2021. In 2016, the Besigyeists coalesced around Pauline Namagembe who narrowly lost to long-serving Rose Seninde. Allying with Wakiso giants like Semujju Nganda, Namagembe created sleepless nights for Seninde who only survived because of the curiously large number of votes she got from remote Islands around Lake Victoria where the opposition candidate barely had any presence.
This wasn’t the first time Seninde (for whom Besigye had initially prepared singer Harriet Kisakye to face off with) was surviving narrowly being floored by an opposition candidate. Unlike in 2011 when she thrived on a divided opposition front, in 2006 Seninde (serving since 2001 when the district was created from Mpigi) faced late Sam Njuba’s mistress Judith Kabanda who initially celebrated claiming “it’s done.” Results only changed the following day when the EC corrected the earlier “anomaly [as they called it]” and declared the actual winner was Seninde. This EC announcement came when Kabanda’s supporters were already celebrating at an early victory party.
Whereas as a backbencher Seninde would always come off as an independent-minded NRM MP, increasing her acceptability in the opposition-dominated Wakiso district, the year 2021 won’t be as easy because as Minister she won’t easily be believed telling people “I’m also an outsider in this thing.”
There is even fatigue with voters arguing having served since 2001 without break, Seninde has eaten enough and must give way to a new person. Ill-fated Namagembe who the Besigyeists backed in 2016 isn’t considered an ally anymore having recently left FDC and defected to another party.
It’s this vacuum that the Mariam Ndagire camp members are exploiting to position their lady early enough. On being approached by Ndagire supporters, the Besigye camp seems to have had a meeting of minds and are now saying Ndagire couldn’t have come at a better time. Some were urging Ingrid Turinawe (who like Ndagire lives in the Gayaza neighborhood) to vie for the Seat but Dr. Kizza Besigye restrained her fearing ethnic backlash from Baganda voters whose Kyaddondo County shares much of Wakiso with Busiro County.
Ndagire was born and raised at Wampeewo Ntake along Gayaza road and because of her mentoring role to many in the music industry, even Bobi Wine (her area MP) would find it hard to resist her candidature. Even financially, she is much more established than Pauline Namagembe who in 2016 unexpectedly turned out to be a strong contender because of the Besigye/Semujju Nganda solidarity and wave in Wakiso. Namagembe quit DP at the last minute following sham primary elections that favored her opponent. Ndagire is said to be keenly interested except that she wants to sample the public opinion first to establish the extent of her popularity as an alternative to Seninde. “She is still reluctant to publicly declare but we are certain in the end she will offer herself and own this process herself becoming its spokesperson. She is much easier brand to sell compared to Namagembe because being a royal, Ndagire also has some clout at Mengo,” says an FDC youth leader thickly involved in the Mariam Ndagire effort. In the past FDC fronted Omumbejja Nassuna of Entebbe who has since lost appetite for the Wakiso race.
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Yet Mariam Ndagire isn’t the only musician or artiste with her eyes on 2021. Other musicians who have been very outspoken publicizing their 2021 ambitions include CBS funnyman Patricko Mujjuka (Mariam’s good friend) who is determined to oust NRM strongman Robert Kafeero Sekitoleko from the Nakifuuma MP Seat. He last week smuggled Bobi Wine in the constituency and, as expected, the kingmaker from Magere paralyzed the constituency.
Jose Chameleon has increasingly become outspoken targeting the Kampala Mayoral Seat on the independent ticket. In fact his growing bonding with Mr. Wine (as seen in Jinja DP reunion) is understood to be the reason why Abed Bwanika became very angry and made a speech demanding clear and early sharing of positions on good time ahead of 2021. Bwanika has previously positioned himself as the PP spokesman and anticipated Mr. Wine’s unconditional endorsement for his bid for Kampala Mayor.
Mr. Wine’s younger brother Mick Wine (aka Micheal Mukwaya) too is having a thing for Kyaddondo East whose incumbent will be gunning for Presidency. Derrick Katongole (aka Victor Kamenyo) is also eyeing Moses Kasibante’s Rubaga North MP Seat. Yet that isn’t all.
Khalifah Aganaga (aka Sadat Mukiibi) is eyeing Rubaga South MP Seat whose incumbent Kato Lubwama he says has been a disgrace to the voters because of his disputed academic qualifications. Aganaga recently posted his A’level results on social media and urged voters to take him more seriously because he is academically more solidified than Kato the former CBS comedian.
Nu Eagles’ Racheal Namiiro is also having her eyes on Kayunga Woman MP Seat whose incumbent Idah Nantaba has lately been cracking following her fall out with NRM heavyweights in the district. (For comments, call, text or whatsapp us on 0703164755 or email us at mulengera2040@gmail.com).
