Will NRM, NUP or Independents tilt the political balance in Nakifuma?

Historically, Nakifuma County is one of the constituencies in Mukono District dominated by the National Resistance Movement (NRM) party, but the ‘People Power’ movement is threatening the ruling party’s hold. 
The incumbent Member of Parliament Robert Kafeero Ssekitooleko, has been in charge for two terms after succeeding Joseph Mugambe Kifomusana. Yet he faces a surge from opposition-leaning radio personalities- Fred Ssimbwa Kaggwa and Patriko Mujuuka, who both owe their allegiance to presidential aspirant Robert Kyagulanyi, aka Bobi Wine.

The main contest in the race for Nakifuma County MP will definitely be between the NRM and the Bibi Wine-led People Power movement. But the sub-plot is the war between National Unity Platform (NUP) allies Sam Ssimbwa and Patriko Mujuuka.

Ssimbwa surprise
Ssimbwa, who was preferred by the party ahead of Mujuuka, left tongues wagging as many considered him an outsider. Yet to those in the know, Ssimbwa was the obvious choice. It was no coincidence that he was handed the party flag. 
Having begun his career at Christian broadcaster Prime Radio as a marketer and on-air personality, business was his life. He is among the founders of Akeezimbira Sacco in Kireka, part of his entrepreneurial mind on radio. He dealt in clothing, importing from Nairobi before he grew big to start travelling to China. He, alongside Busujju County MP David Lukyamuzi Kalwanga, are the proprietors of Felma Media Agency, an advertising and research-based agency in Kampala.

His political ambitions came as a surprise though. He had dedicated a fair share of his career to business although he had his people at heart.
Ssimbwa has been at the forefront of development activities in Nakifuma through his Fred Ssimbwa Kaggwa Foundation. It is through this foundation that he has been supporting disadvantaged primary schools left in the ruins of negligence.

At Kikube Primary School, for instance, Ssimbwa financed the re-roofing of the school by donating iron sheets while at Nakaswa Primary School in Kasawo Sub-County, he footed the bill of connecting electric power. Fred Ssimbwa Kaggwa Foundation also gives bursaries to needy students in partnership with local schools like Nakifuma High School.
“We have always been told that education is the key to success but many children in Nakifuma have not been able to afford that necessity. This is why I set out to offer bursaries to those that needed a hand,” he says.

The National Population and Housing Census 2014, estimated a population of 194,476 people residing in Nakifuma. The census highlighted that the mostly peasant farming communities lack basic social services, including education, poor roads, clean water and electricity.
Nicknamed Awakula ennume, to refer to another bull in a kraal, Ssimbwa is clearly taking the bull by the horn.
According to people interviewed in the constituency, he is more appealing to the electorate.

Named NUP’s ambassador in Buganda, he has been a common face around Robert Kyagulanyi. And that is not enough, he made his homework as early as three years ago establishing football tournaments that attracted teams from across the constituency.

“I want the people of Nakifuma to be effectively represented. I don’t want to be a yes man. I want to bring their issues to the floor or Parliament,” Ssimbwa said.
His foundation has also drilled boreholes and repaired those that had broken down to ensure his constituents have clean water.
“These are my people. I am the only one who was born and raised in Nakifuma. The others [Ssekitooleko and Mujuuka] are just coming from Kampala to seek votes,” Ssimbwa explains.

You cannot ignore Mujuuka
Mujuuka’s celebrity status on radio and theatre cannot be overlooked even though he could not pass the test of the Mercy Walukamba NUP vetting committee. As an Independent, he will certainly take a slice off the Opposition votes.
Mujuuka partly blames Ssekitooleko for the mess in the area saying the last 10 years have been a complete miss.

“We need to bring services to the people. Our youth need to be assisted and I have the connections to do just that. We cannot change Nakifuma with the same people,” Mujuuka said. 
Buganda Kingdom radio, CBS FM, offered Mujuuka a platform for his voice to reach far and wide. He says such a voice is needed to create change in Nakifuma.
“I understand the needs of the people and being in Parliament presents me the best chance to change Nakifuma,” he adds.

His campaign message has been beefed up with free health camps, youth football competitions, donating sound systems to mosques, mobilising women groups to fight poverty and repairing broken boreholes in areas of Kimenyedde.
Despite taking Bobi Wine to the finals of a football tournament in May 2019, Mujuuka was faulted for being thin on the ground as he took so long to get to the electorate. This is partly the reason he was denied the NUP party flag.

Incumbent here to stay
But Ssekitooleko is not done as he is seeking a third term in Parliament.
Ssekitooleko, famed for initiating the controversial Constitution amendment Bill in 2016 that, among others, extended the age limit for judges to 75 years, was a vocal voice in removing subsequent Presidential term limits.
Ssekitooleko, who is known as Taata Nakifuma by supporters, came to the fore as an Independent in 2011, replacing Kifomusana after winning by a margin of 14 votes following a recount.
Despite taking two terms since then, his opponents fault him of ignoring the electorate.

With a poor road network, bridges have been swept away recently due to heavy rain. In December last year, for instance, floods swept away Nkoko bridges found between Kasawo and Ntunda. Locals made a makeshift bridge and many accuse the incumbent of not paying attention to their problems.
“That is outside the mandate of a Member of Parliament. An MP is supposed to make sure that money appropriated for particular services is actually used. As MP, I am not supposed to construct roads or provide medicines,” said Ssekitooleko in an interview.

He adds that he has, however, lobbied for development projects, including additional resources for roadworks. Ssekitooleko said his efforts have yielded an extra 65km of murram roads in the previous financial year only.

“I promised my people that I will lobby four things this term; roads, electricity, water and health facilities. I have already lobbied for 178km of power transmission lines which area actually being constructed,” he says.

He explains that he has only been let down in health because of what he termed as “shrewd guys” at the district that send empty boxes of drugs to Nakifuma. He says, he has set up a health task force to follow up on the matter.
Many know him as a lethal man. The most learned of those in the race, the mechanical engineer holds a master of science in mechanical engineering from Washington International University although he did not obtain O-Level and Advanced Level certificates.

Many people, including NRM electoral committee chairperson, Tanga Odoi, have questioned his academic papers.  Ssekitooleko made his way in academia via St Joseph’s Technical Institute Kisubi and later a diploma at Kyambogo Polytechnic. Actually, Odoi refused to nominate him in the NRM primaries in 2011 before the legislator successfully challenged the decision in court.

Academic troubles aside, Ssekitooleko has on several occasions failed the integrity test. In the 9th Parliament, he was alongside some members sitting on the Committee of Science and Technology, accused of taking bribes from donors who were pushing for passing of the National Biotechnology and Biosafety Bill.
The Bill was mainly working on establishment of measures to ensure the safer transfer, handling and use of genetically modified organisms (GMOs). He was later to be removed as chairman of the committee for his part in the scandal, although no evidence was adduced to prove the validity of the accusations.

He had earlier been accused of bribing MPs to support the constitutional amendment bill.
Eng Ssekitooleko explains that those accusations were just being traded by haters.
Other aspirants in the race include city-based lawyer Jackson Ntwatwa, former radio journalist Zuliya Nakapanka and Kifomusana.
The battle will be fought out in the five Sub-Counties of Kasawo, Namuganga, Ntunda, Nabbale and Kimenyedde among 31 parishes and 121 polling stations.