Intra-NRM contest seems likely in Kyenjojo

KYENJOJO.

Seven women have declared their intention to unseat Kyenjojo Woman MP Lyndah Timbigamba.

Timbigamba is serving her first term but her opponents have already had enough of her. Former woman MP Joyce Kwebiiha and Miriam Kesiime, who she defeated in the 2011 elections are back in the race.

New entrants include Helen Basemera, Spellanza Baguma, Grace Kemigisa Masiko, Cleopatra Ninsiima Mukama and Sylvia Brenda Birungi, all members of the ruling NRM party.

This district is a bastion of NRM support. Since elective politics were re-introduced in 1996, more than 90 per cent in this area have voted NRM.

There are villages where NRM got 100 per cent votes in past elections. In the 2011 elections, President Museveni got 93 per cent in Kyenjojo, becoming one of the six districts where he got more than 90 per cent of the votes.

As such, politics here are a reflection of the wider NRM politics. Unless a surprise Opposition candidate pops up, the contest for Kyenjojo’s woman MP seat is most likely to be decided in the primaries.

The incumbent is banking on her work in the fight against poverty in the district to retain her seat.

She has been distributing free coffee seedlings and formed several women groups; promoted girl-child education and supported the youth in their developmental activities.

“Since I was elected as Kyenjojo District woman MP, I have tried to fulfill all the government programmes and meet the people’s needs, especially women and children who have more problems and tried to solve them,” she says.
In her term, she supplied about 3,000kgs of improved maize seeds, distributed 25,000 eucalyptus tree seedlings and 300 hoes to her constituents.

However, Kwebiiha, a former woman MP, who is the chairperson of NRM women’s league, says she wants to go back to Parliament to follow up the programmes she had started on for the good of the district.

Kwebiiha is remembered for lobbying for the upgrading of Kitongole and Kanyegaramire health centre II in Mwenge North at a time when expectant mothers were travelling more than 20 kilometres to deliver at Kyenjojo District Hospital on a poor murram road.

“Although I am old, I have a vast experience in different areas of social and economic development” she said.

There are less than 12 months for her to find out if the people remember her good deeds well enough to give her another chance. Spellanza Baguma, another hopeful who has laid a foundation in community work, also draws strength from her fight against poverty through creation of employment opportunities and supporting education.

She established Aloysius and Revocate Memorial Schools at Rugombe where she employs 20 people. She also owns a restaurant that employs 15 people in Kyenjojo Town.

She was a district youth councillor from 2002 to 2006 and a district NRM registrar in 2006.
Kemigisa Masiko, a farmer, has been distributing free coffee seedlings to build her political capital. She is said to have organised women to join savings and credit cooperative organisations.

Miriam Kesiime, who also contested and lost to Timbigamba in the 2011 polls, has bounced back. This time, she says Kyenjojo needs more development partners who can push for development.

“I want to provide better service delivery to reduce cases of maternal and infant mortality and to sensitise the people in Kyenjojo about their rights,” she says.

Why many women in this race?
In 2011, only three women came up to contest against the incumbent. They are Kabasinguzi Tereza, Kesiime Mariam and Lindah Timbigamba, who contested against Grace Kwebiiha. Four years later, we see seven coming up against the incumbent.

Political analysts say this is because more women are now joining politics than before.
Mr Vento Kasangaki says, “Too much freedom in the country has caused a big number of women to contest because they have much money and wealth that enables them to convince people to come to their side”

He adds, “Because of money they are not patriotic, they just come because they have money”

However, Justus Arunga, an opinion leader in Kyenjojo differs. He says:“The seat [Kyenjojo] has almost been vacant in this term and the people feel they have not been fully represented in parliament by the incumbent woman MP and that is why many women have come up to contest this seat”

He added, “Even the way the incumbent got the seat, it almost came as a chance and most women think that they can use the same chance to win the seat”

Nyakato Rusoke, the FDC Deputy Secretary for women says: “More women are joining politics. Initially it would be one or two, we are celebrating this as women despite the challenges we face as we have a wider constituency than other constituencies or men. One you must have money to join politics, don’t be surprised if the number increases before 2016. FDC will field a candidate in this race too.”

Possible contenders for the kyenjojo woman seat

Lyndah Timbigamba. Born in 1982, Timbigamba worked for Mukwano tea factory in Kigumba estate as a supervisor before she joined Kind Uganda, one of the prominent non-government organisations operating in Western Uganda, as a gender and advocacy officer. She holds a bachelor of Social work and Social administration and Diploma in Human Resource Management.

Helen Basemera. She holds a Masters degree in Management, a postgraduate Diploma in Human Resource Management and Bachelor of Business Administration. She is the Executive Director of BPW Uganda, and a farmer. Previously, she was a General manager at Quest Holdings (An east African Company-Financial management solution.

Grace Kemigisa Masiko. She is the Town Clerk of Butunduuzi Town Council. She holds a Masters in Development Studies and Bachelors of Commerce from Makerere University.She also has a Diploma in Secondary Education from Kyambogo University,
She taught at Rubaga Girls and Old Kampala SS 1996 to 2005, worked as a Sub-county chief at Kyarusozi 2005 to 2009, assistant CAO Kyenjojo 2009 to 2011..

Cleopatra Ninsiima Mukama. She is a teacher and a farmer. She is the Director at Waterfalls Nursery and Primary Schools in Kampala. She holds a diploma in Education from YMCA.

Sylvia Brenda Birungi. She works for Stanbic Bank in Kampala. She holds a Masters in Business Administration (Finance) and Bachelors in Development Studies.

Miriam Kesiime. She holds a bachelor of Laws from Makerere University, diploma in Law from LDC and a diploma in Secondary Education from Nkozi NTC -1992.
She taught at Mpanga SS in Kabarole District in 1992 and several other schools in Masaka and Ntungamo districts. She is now operates a law firm in Kyenjojo Town; M/s Kesiime & Co. Advocates. She also practices commercial farming in Matiri Kihuura Sub-county in Kyenjojo District.

Joyce Kwebiiha. Kwebiiha holds a BA in Social work and Social Administration and diploma in Education from Moray House College in South Africa.
She was a police officer before working for Family Planning Association of Uganda, Save the Children Uganda, UNHCR, and Kampala City Council. Currently, she is the Director of Kyenjojo Development Radio.

Spellanza Baguma. She is the Sub-county Chief of Kabweeza in the neighbouring Kyegegwa District. She holds a BA in Education from Makerere University, diploma in Management from UMI, certificate in Administrative Law from LDC. She was a district female youth councillor Kyenjojo from 2002 to 2006 and an NRM district registrar in 2006.