Ex-MP Kabasharira seeks to stop Rukutana dominance in Rushenyi

BY PEREZ RUMANZI

Since 1993 when Ntungamo District was formed, voters in Rushenyi County have largely known one MP, Mr Mwesigwa Rukutana.
Then a government critic and lawyer, Mr Rukutana emerged winner in the 1994 Constituency Assembly election.
He later stood for MP in 1996, but was defeated by the late John Kazoora in a hotly contested election. Kazoora died two years later.
Mr Rukutana won the by-election in 1998 and has since been at the helm of the constituency.
He has held various portfolios in government, including serving as State minister for Finance, Higher Education, Gender, and deputy Attorney General, and now State Minister for Labour and Industrial Development.
“He has been voted again because he has been leading in promoting development, building churches and supporting infrastructure development, as well as representing us well in Parliament and Cabinet. He is still the best for the seat,” Ms Peace Kaconco, a councillor representing Rubaare Town Council, says.
Since 2001, Mr Rukutana has been contesting with Mr Justus Karuhanga and six others, who have now pulled out of the race in favour of Ms Naome Kabasharira, the former Ntungamo Woman MP (1993-1996 (NRC), 1996-2001, and 2011-2016).
Ms Kabasharira is also a sister-in-law of Mr Rukutana and a former business associate.
Other former contestants are Mr Herbert Nyongozi, a businessman, Mr Amon Kamugyene, Mr Ernest Rwamutemba, Mr Dan Rweiburingi, Mr Joshua Natukunda and Mr Paul Karibwende.
Mr Karuhanga made a series of meetings in Kampala and Ntungamo in attempts to unite forces to defeat Mr Rukutana.
However, among the former contestants, they could not come up with a strong candidate. That is how they settled for Ms Kabasharira.
“We all decided to be out of this [race] and have a new face that has not stood against Mr Rukutana. We wanted a neutral person that is how we came up with Ms Kabasharira’s name and it is working for us,” says Mr Rweiburingi.
Like many other constituencies in the western region, being an NRM flag bearer is a major determinant for joining Parliament. That is why the NRM primary elections are highly regarded.
Ms Kabasharira contested as an independent in 2016 after being defeated in the party primaries in 2015 by Ms Beatrice Rwakimari.
Mr Rukutana is said to have taken an assignment of the party executive in the district to ensure that she does win.
Ms Kabasharira was blocked from accessing Radio Ankole, which is owned by Mr Rukutana, during campaigns.
To many, that was a starting point of the political rivalry.
In order to garner support, Ms Kabasharira boasts of fulfilling key development projects for Rushenyi and other areas in Ntungamo. She has championed education, including having Kampala-based elites to head major schools’ management bodies.
Her support for maternal health and health infrastructure development and sports promotion as Ntungamo Woman MP in 2011-2016 endeared her to the public.
“We are not supporting Ms Kabasharira because we want her to defeat Rukutana. What we have got from government as Rushenyi has only been because she was an MP. The safe water schemes, roads, schools and their performance both at primary and secondary level and her ability to shine on national level in legislation is envied by many,” Mr Alex Kwesiga, Ms Kabasharira’s campaigner, says.
“Rukutana has won on lies, empty promises, dividing the people and bribery of voters,” he adds.
Ms Kabasharira is seen as a unifying factor in Rushenyi, an area polarised by religious and tribal politics.
Mr Karuhanga, who has stood against Mr Rukutana three times is from the cattle keepers’ community.
The other categories of people in the area are Banyarwanda, Bakiga and Banyankole. The latter two groups are largely cultivators.
The political rift between cattle keepers and cultivators dates as far back as the days of Ankole Kingdom and Uganda Peoples Congress.
Both Ms Kabasharira and Mr Rukutana belong to the cultivators.
Ms Kabasharira is an Anglican protestant and a member of Synod of South Ankole Diocese.
Mr Rukutana is also an Anglican and has contributed to several church projects.
Both candidates are related to each other by marriage. One of Mr Rukutana’s wives is from Ms Kabasharira’s family.
The voters are torn between whom to choose among the two. In the past elections, some people would support both because they stood on different elective positions.
“This is a rather confusing election, I have been a supporter for both candidates in the past, it took me time to decide who I will vote or support. Although it is still hard, I have chosen to support Rukutana. Why did Naome [Kabasharira] invade his seat? I hope many people shall see it this way,” says Mr Ismail Kahurutuka of Rubaare Town Council.
Accusations of voter bribery, intimidation, defacing of candidates’ posters, use of foul language, promoting sectarianism have characterised the campaigns.
Ms Kabasharira accuses Mr Rukutana’s team of bribing her voters and taking voters’ National Identity cards, a claim the latter has denied.
“There is a lot of foul play, they are buying voters, conniving with registrars to eliminate voters believed to be our supporters. They have also started using violence. Whatever means they are using, I know they will not pull down the support we have and what the people of Rushenyi have decided,” she says.
But Mr Rukutana refutes the allegations, saying: “I am not a fool to trade in sectarian politics, I know where we have taken Ntungamo from and where we want it to be. Anyone who thinks I can be part of such politics is a fool. Why should I take someone’s identification card? For what reason?”
The fight has also shifted to social media platforms such as Facebook and WhatsApp.
Mr Sabiti Rubegyemera, a resident of Rwahi Town Council, says: “As people of Rushenyi, we want to vote whoever promises proper service delivery. Fortunately, the two have been in leadership positions and we can compare. Whatever has been happening on social media shall come to a close on Friday. We shall either have a new MP to be or an the old one,”
There are other four candidates in the race for the NRM flag. They are businessmen Norman Kashereka Beingana and Mr Nicholas Niwahereza, as well as Mr Bob Nahabwe, a lawyer, and Mr Eriya Rwagara Mwesigwa, a teacher.
There are more than 100,000 voters in seven sub-counties and town councils of Kayonza, Rugarama, Rugarama East, Ngoma, Rubaare and Rwentobo-Rwahi and Rubaare. They will be voting in 267 polling stations (villages) across the county.

Key determinants
The campaign messages focus on infrastructural development, especially roads and schools, electricity, safe water coverage, unity of people, improvement of household incomes and effective legislation.
Another key determinant in the election will be who is seen to be more NRM than the other and who the First Family supports.
Mr Rukutana is seen as a favourite of the President while Ms Kabasharira is seen as favourite of the First Lady.