Who will succeed MP Nabanda in Butaleja?

Perfect replacement. The search for a replacement for Cerinah Nebanda, the Butaleja Woman Member of Parliament who died under mysterious circumstances on December 14 last year, is underway. Campaigns started early this week in various sub-counties ahead of the February 18 by-election.

“They have not lived among the people and so cannot expect to win affection,” one source said. Separately, Mr Mafabi points at the dangers of a trend he said is evolving in Uganda, where the NRM now wants families to retain control of particular seats in politics as long as they support the ruling government.

“Our country needs seasoned, thinking and mature people who have names to protect but I see a pattern of monarchies emerging, which is like in athletics where you pass on the baton to another member of the family,” Mr Mafabi said.

Poverty, disillusionment and a sense of betrayal appear to be the issues at the heart of this race, another by-election likely to test the ruling party’s credentials having already lost to the opposition in Jinja, Masaka, Entebbe, Luwero, Bushenyi and Kasese, among others.