Nasasira quits MPs race after 27 years

Information and Communications Technology Minister John Nasasira

KAMPALA

The Information and Communications Technology Minister John Nasasira has quit the 2016 race for parliament, telling his Kazo constituents that he will not seek re-election due to ill health.

In a July 30 letter to 8 sub county chairpersons in Kazo, Kiruhura district, Mr Nasasira who in June underwent surgery after a freak accident left him with a broken femur bone, said his candidature will be untenable, because he is due for a second surgery in October and won't physically hit the campaign trail.

"Despite the support I have in the constituency, my absence makes my candidature untenable. I will therefore not pick nomination forms for NRM flagbearer for Kazo Constituency for 2016 - 2021," he wrote.

Several leaders from Kazo had in a July 24 petition asked Mr Nasasira to run despite currently being indisposed, arguing that because of the achievements he has made in the constituency, he needed to continue. The leaders formed a subcommittee to look at the issue and met the minister, who currently cannot walk, at his home in Kampala and asked him not to pull out. However, Mr Nasasira who is due for another operation procedure in October has decided to quit.

Mr Nasasira is the longest serving MP having been elected to represent Kazo in the 1989 upto today. He has also been a minister since 1989, when he was appointed to Cabinet as a deputy minister for works, and elevated to full Cabinet minister in 1995 when he was assigned to run the Agriculture docket. He has been minister for works and transport, government chief whip, general duties, gender and currently ICT.