Where are their better halves at the campaigns?

The spouses could make an impact perhaps. Someone would raise a concern; if you cannot convince your spouse to join you on the campaign trail, how do you expect the voters to ride with you throughout the campaigns?
Although it is hard to measure the exact impact of having one’s spouse beside them on the campaign trail, the appearance of family solidarity means a lot to society.

While President Yoweri Museveni and wife Janet have been together on the trail during most of the presidential campaign, the partners of the other seven presidential candidates have been conspicuously absent. We sought them out in order to gain an understanding on why they have been unable or in some cases, unwilling, to be beside their partners as they seek this crucial vote.

Major General Benon Biraaro

Ms Joy Biraaro, wife of Farmers party of Uganda presidential flag bearer Major General (retired) Benon Biraaro is a farmer.

“My wife is even busier than I am, says Gen Biraaro. When I hold a campaign in a particular district, we get complaints from people especially farmers on what they expect from the new party. She goes back to that particular district to do ground work like creating women groups. People will be able to see her at the right time, which is the time towards the end of the campaigns. She looks after the farms, our children and this is a lot of work and we agreed that this is what she would be doing and wherever she will have reached at the end of the campaigns will be something I appreciate because there is too much for her to do in a few days left.”

Ms Biraaro says, “I am not so much a public figure and always want to keep a low profile. I am a farmer, mother of a young family that must be cared for, and member of the Farmer’s Party. I move with him. I was there at the nominations and at some campaigns although some people cannot recognise me.”

Dr Abed Bwanika

“Dr Gladys Bwanika is part of the organising team for my campaigns. But you know it is more than being at the campaigns. Sometimes she is with me but she cannot be there all the time because there is a lot she must coordinate,” says Mr Bwanika.

Dr Bwanika says, “There is so much office work to do so sometimes I cannot be on the campaign trail. I am more of a coordinator and I love making links and fundraising. I know my presence can create impact to the voters but I also have to do ground work and coordination so as to make impact.”
“I am a mother who must take care of the children and also a fish farmer so I have to strike a balance between all these responsibilities,” she adds.

Kaguta Yoweri Museveni

“There are many factors which may influence the perception of potential voters in an electoral campaign. Although the presence or absence of a spouse on the campaign trail is not the sole determinant of an election outcome, the presence of family portrays solidarity and from the multitude of questions raised in this campaign, appears to mean a lot to society.

President Yoweri Museveni has had his wife Janet beside him almost throughout the campaigns. The President and first lady have toured the country from Karamoja to the South West.
Although some have argued that Mrs Museveni is duty bound to be on the trail as First Lady, the glaring absence of the other presidential candidates’ spouses has only served to emphasize the unity enjoyed by the first couple.

Prof Venansius Baryamureeba

“Due to the type of work she does, she must remain a neutral person. Ms Jennifer Angeyo heads the legal department at the Electoral Commission. This means she must not get involved in any kind of politics thus the reason you are unable to see her at the rally. But that does not mean she does not support me.”

Elton Joseph Mabirizi

“Mrs Winnie Mabirizi is my wife. She is a business woman who deals in jewellery. She was with me at the nominations and the debate. She has to take care of our businesses and family. We cannot both engage in the campaigns and neglect the other responsibilities we have.”

(I will seek first her consent if she wants to be in the media in a week’s time, he says. Further efforts to get her photo or speak to her were futile).

Maureen Faith Kyalya Waluube

Maureen Faith Kyalya Waluube, the only woman presidential candidate is married to David Aggrey Waluube an IT manager at the UK based National Health Service. Ms Kyalya believes, there is little significance of the husband’s presence at the campaigns since other candidates do not move with theirs.

“I do not think it makes any difference because I have not seen any of the other male presidential candidates move with their wives except for Mr Museveni and he is obliged to move with her because she is a minister. Our case is understandable. Since he is not going to be paid for being with me at the campaign, he has to continue working to help sustain the family.”

She adds, “My family is an elite one so everyone pursues their own career according to their wish. I cannot compel him to be here unless he wishes.”

Kizza Besigye

We all know she is the Executive Director of Oxfam International but before she assumed this role, she waved at the crowds during the 2011 presidential campaigns. Does it pain her not to be at the campaigns?
Some of the supporters say it is the fighting character that they miss in her because she has stood with him even in the times he was teargased and pushed down the police vehicles.

“Dr Besigye was in the bush for four years without the wife. This is not a wedding but rather a campaign. But we know she is a brave woman and a fighter. We indeed miss the fighting character in her but you know she is working so it is understandable,” says Ibrahim Ssemujju Nganda the FDC spokesperson.

Amama Mbabazi

Twice, at the start of his campaign, presidential candidate Amama Mbabazi put aside his political plans, the first time being two weeks before presidential nominations, when he escorted his wife Jacqueline to hospital in London.
Although Ms Mbabazi has since been discharged and returned home, she is held back by ill health and cannot be on the campaign trail.

“My mother cannot be on the campaign trail because she is not well,” says Nina Mbabazi Rukikaire, their daughter.
From the campaign trail, Maggie Lukowe, the deputy director public relations for the JPAM campaign, says Ms Jacqueline Mbabazi has been a salient and silent supporter of her husband.
“She has supported him throughout the campaigns as she receives updates from the camp, advises him and gives him all the non-physical support.”

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