It’s a family affair as in-laws battle for Ntungamo Municipality

NTUNGAMO.

Until 2010, Ntungamo Municipality was part of the vast Ruhaama County represented by the First Lady and minister for Karamoja Affairs, Ms Janet Kataaha Museveni.
After its creation, it was highly anticipated that the town would fall to the Opposition because it was giving the President and Ms Museveni headache.

The leading candidates then had links with the Opposition. Mr Yona Musinguzi Bikwasizehi had served as secretary for works in the Kampala City Council and councillor representing Nakawa Division.
He had been elected on the Forum for Democratic Change ticket. He contested with Mr Theo Tibihika who resigned his job as principal assistant secretary at Ntungamo District local government where he was also seen as an Opposition sympathiser.

The two gentlemen, however, later participated in the NRM primaries together with Mr Godfrey Kanuma and Mr Geoffrey Kanahe. Mr Musinguzi emerged the winner and consequently beat the FDC candidate, Mr Yona Kanyomozi, also a former UPC national chairman.
The Opposition claimed the election was fraudulent; marred by violence, intimidation, bribery and ballot stuffing.

Ntungamo Municipality is one of the smallest constituencies in the country with a population of just 18,000 people, according to the 2014 National Housing and Population Census figures.
There are about 12,000 voters in the three divisions; Eastern, Western and Central. It also has more of a village environment. A fairly big number of inhabitants are involved in agriculture.

Jostling for this seat are incumbent and NRM flag bearer Musinguzi, Mr Gerald Karuhanga, the western region Youth MP, who is contesting on the Independent ticket, and Mr Bosco Tumwesigye Simba, presently a councillor for Central Division, on the Uganda Federal Alliance ticket.

Mr Karuhanga is a son of incumbent Ntungamo Municipality Mayor Jacob Kafureka, aka, Jaka Jex (NRM).
Interestingly, Mr Musinguzi is married to a daughter of Mr Kafureka’s younger brother, Mr Matayo Tumwine, the chairperson of the Ntungamo business community. Mr Joseph Bikwasizehi, the father of Mr Musinguzi, is also a prominent businessman in Ntungamo Town and a former court clerk. He has wide ties in the Catholic Church, which Mr Musinguzi uses as his political base.

Mr Karuhanga enjoys the support of the elite and youth as well as the support base of his father who was the first mayor of the town council in 1993. One may take it that his stellar performance in the 9th Parliament gives him an advantage over Mr Musinguzi who was not very vocal. However, the politics on the ground is not necessarily based on performance in Parliament and elitism. The peasant voters want someone who can smile at them, chat with them and make promises, however empty they may be.

They want someone who attends burials, makes people laugh when he speaks, praises the government in power and avoids clashing with other leaders. Given that Ms Museveni and President Museveni hail from Ntungamo District, with their home being less than a kilometre from the boundaries of the municipality, it is highly anticipated that the two will try to have the seat taken by the NRM candidate.

Mr Karuhanga is known as an Opposition-leaning Independent. He is known to be a close political ally of the FDC president, Maj Gen (rtd) Mugisha Muntu. With a few weeks to the general elections, Mr Karuhanga is on a house-to-house campaign with a team of youth and businessmen in the town. Mr Musinguzi also moves with a group of youth and most of his operations are at night.

Mr Tumwesigye has some members of the Opposition and youth who look at him as their candidate. All the three candidates held big inaugural rallies, promising to revive business and trade and have electricity extended to different parts of the town.
The rallies also turned into occasions for name- calling, attacks and mudslinging.

“I was the campaign manager for Mr Karuhanga in the youth elections, we went to Fort Portal. I am the one who nominated him. I was NRM, he was in Opposition and I was being seen as a criminal. We solicited money from other camps and brought it to his, he won. Ever since he won, he has never given me even a chicken, he has not called me and he blocked all the projects meant for youth, this is what he will do to you if you elect him,” said Mr Fuderi Turyatemba, the youth chairperson Rugarama Sub-county in Rushenyi County, at the inaugural rally of Mr Musinguzi at Ntungamo municipal grounds.

But Mr Patrick Matoba, the Eastern Division NRM chairperson, said Mr Karuhanga is the right candidate because he has risked his life for the country.

“It was the first time I saw Parliament on tension, he pulled out papers from his file, showed the nation how the resources (oil) we were waiting to save the country were being misused, no one could speak about oil then. What did our MP Mr Musinguzi say then? He stood on the floor of Parliament and what I remember him saying was ‘protect me speaker’. Who among the two would you vote?” Mr Matoba said at Kyamate playground where Mr Karuhanga launched his campaigns.

Several other NRM party leaders, including the elders’ league chairperson for Ntungamo district, Mr Rwabukwitsi Rwabukuru, have been behind Mr Karuhanga although some youth leaders are de-campaigning him, saying he abandoned them.

Ms Museveni, the NRM chairperson Ntungamo, has called some of Mr Karuhanga’s supporters to convince them to support the NRM flag bearer. Some have accepted her request while others remain adamant.
Voters in the municipality would love to elect a person who will ensure that electricity and clean water are extended in all parts of the constituency; someone who will effectively represent them and can unite all people.

Currently, only the town centre is connected to the power grid.
Many parts of the municipality have no clean water, the roads are poor and buildings are in poor shape.

“We have to choose someone who can represent us better, the two people standing have all been in Parliament and we know how they have performed. This is no longer an era where people do not know what is happening in Kampala; people watch TV, they read papers and listen to radio,” says Mr Perez Manyire.

Mr Musinguzi’s campaign mantra is Owuwarebireho Niwe Mwana (the child you have is the one you count) which emphasises continuity. Mr Karuhanga’s is using the motto, Ow’omutima Gw’eihanga (the patriot). He promises accountability, good representation, a better planned and managed town, an end to corruption, employment opportunities for youth and equality in service delivery.
Mr Karuhanga sees no problem with him and his father heading the municipality.

“I am offering my leadership, this has nothing to do with the family I come from. Whoever knows me knows that I am I am just service-oriented, I want to see the Ntungamo we all want, that’s why I am standing as an independent to serve everyone equally,” says Mr Karuhanga.

Mr Musinguzi, on the otherhand, says: “I am confident we are winning, we have achieved a lot despite many challenges, I think for someone to claim that we have not done much is madness. One thing we have not achieved but is in the pipeline is electricity, we still have parts of the municipality that have no electricity.”
While addressing market vendors at the end of last year, he asked voters to ignore politics of the family and vote for the best. Mr Musinguzi’s chief campaign manager is his father-in-law, Mr Matayo, who is Mr Karuhanga’s uncle.

Mr Tumwesigye, 29, says he counting on the youth who he said were behind his victory in 2011. He is the only member of the Opposition sitting on the district council. He says he wants to help youth get jobs. Time will tell if he can pull off a surprise in this constituency.

Face to Face

Gerald Karuhanga, incumbent western Youth Mp
Age. 33
Education. Diploma in Legal Practice, Law Development Centre - 2007/8
Bachelor of Laws , Makerere University --2003-2007.
St Mary’s College, Kisubi - 2001-2002
Kitabi Seminary - 1997 - 2000
Work experience. Director General, Justice And Development Council - 2009 - 2011
Executive Director, National Youth Think Tank - 2008 - 2011.
Other Responsibilities. Member : Committee on Legal and Parliamentary Affairs
Member: The Public Accounts Committee.

Yona Musinguzi, incumbent Ntungamo municipality Mp Age. 35
Education: Bachelor of Food Processing Technology, Kyambogo -- 2009
Bachelors Of Commerce , Nakawa Business School -- 2006
UACE , St Heny’s College Kitovu -- 2001
Work experience. UN-Habitat E.A Coordinator -- 2009 - 2011
LC5 Councillor Kampala City Council -- 2006 - 2011
University Council Member -- 2008 - 2009 .
Other Responsibilities: Member : Committee on Legal and Parliamentary Affairs
Member : The Public Accounts Committee

What voters say

“We are tired of voting people who go to Parliament just to vote; we now need someone who can express our interests. We have never gained anything from the NRM, we now have someone who will work with the FDC, this will be Karuhanga,”
Alice Kafooda, FDC Women league chairperson Ntungamo

“Urban politics is not about the party, people understand what to want and want someone who can address them. It’s not about party manifesto these people are telling us about. We want someone who promises a good environment for business,”
Apollo Tusingwire

“MPs are not important to us, we just vote whomever gives you what to drink. I think we shall vote when time comes and we shall have seen whom to vote. I have President Museveni T-shirt, I have not got one from Karuhanga or Bosco,’
Geoffrey Asiimwe

“What I have seen in this town is that people are mature, but to tell you the truth for me I will vote NRM. I believe it’s hard for anyone to defeat an NRM candidate in this election,”
Rashid Bugyega

“Mr Karuhanga has high chances of winning this election. He has the popular support of the leaders, the youth and women. He is supported by the elite and the peasants. What we want from this election is a person who will speak for Ntungamo and the country,”
John Bamutonda