10 eye new Mbarara City South MP seat

Ten people are competing for Mbarara City South MP seat, one of the two constituencies in Mbarara City.

The constituency is composed of Nyamitanga, Kakoba and Nyakayojo divisions and has 42,424 registered voters, according to the district registrar, Ms Violet Atuhurira.

The candidates are Mwine Mpaka, Emmy Mbareebaki, Bright Muhumuza, Umaru Sekito, Nick Rutahaba Kashaija, Naswiru Tauba Sekamate, Muzafaru Nambaale, Manzi Munanura, Jarc Tusiime and Francis Tibazaara Rwabuteera.

Mr Mpaka, is the Western Youth MP and a son of Lt Col (Rtd) Bright Rwamirama, the State minister for Animal Industry and Isingiro North MP. 

He won the NRM flag, defeating Mr Deus Tumusiime, Mr Emmy Mbarebaki, Mr Shaffiq Imam Kajiiko and Mr Seth Muyambi.

What the candidates say
“I want to address youth unemployment by starting a labour export company that will take youth to work abroad at free cost. I want to address household income by giving motorcycles to boda boda operators at no interest, and establish a hatchery to give free chicken to all constituents. I want to grade all ward football grounds and construct Mbarara City Stadium,” Mr Mpaka says.

Mr Muhumuza (National Unity Platform) contested for Mbarara Municipality MP seat in 2016 under Go Forward political pressure group and lost.  Mr Muhumuza is also a renowned human rights defender and has been arrested several times while fighting injustice.

“I want to advocate for reduction in the price of electricity because high price affects running of businesses and access to jobs. My constituents need bridges, the drainage systems are not functioning; the River Rwizi which provides water to the community has been degraded,” Mr Muhumuza says.

He adds: “There is over taxation and double taxation in the community. Many areas in Mbarara don’t have access to clean water; those who have access don’t have capacity to pay because water is taxed. Teachers and health workers don’t have houses at their work places; they stay far away which affects service delivery. These are some of the issues I want addressed.”

Mr Mbareebaki was been a youth activist in Mbarara between 1996 and 2001. Mr Mbarebaki says he will focus on road infrastructural development, provision of water, electricity and improvement in health service delivery and education. 
He adds: “I will look at establishing cottage industries, horticulture, skilling and urban farming.”

Mr Rutahaba (Forum for Democratic Change) says he will promote effective social and legal justice and support sports activities for the youth.

 “I will push for youth inclusiveness in employment, quality education as opposed to the current dead UPE and USE education, quality health services and well-managed hospitals,” Mr Rutahaba says. He wants to advocate for effective enforcement of environmental management policies, good governance, effective democratic dispensation and properly managed political transition. 

Mr Muzafaru (Independent) says: “I want to advocate for access to free and low interest credit services for youth and women, fight for increased budgetary allocations to the sensitive sectors of the economy such as agriculture, health and education; ensure access to clean water through conservation of River Rwizi and sensitise people, especially youth and women on government projects and programmes.” 

Mr Munanura (Independent) says it is time for youth to be involved in leadership.  “...Most of the times, the youth have not been involved in leadership because they lack mentorship,” Mr Munanura says.

He adds: “I’m in the race to also inspire these young people who happen to be the majority of the population in Uganda, so their voice being the majority needs to be amplified through able young leaders if the country is to advance to the next level.”

Mr Sekamate (Alliance for National Transformation) says: “My vision and ambitions are job creation, skilling the youth, access to education for all, accessibility of health facilities, promotion of ICT, discovering, promoting and nurturing talent, tax incentives, acknowledging land rights, creation and development of Saccos, infrastructure development, electricity and water access for all and industrialisation.” 

Mr Tusiime says he will also lobby for increased funding in the health sector. 

“I will encourage Parliament to champion a regulatory framework and guidance on how to enable poor people’s participation in the free market economy through promotion of social business concepts and giving tax holidays to businesses that provide social benefits such as education, and environment conservation,”  Mr Tusiime says.

He adds: “I will push for and support legislation aimed at increasing usage of ICT services as we prepare for the 4th Industrial Revolution, including repealing of laws related to OTT, and repealing taxes on technology products such as class tabs, virtual reality gadgets, robots and smart phones; advocate for a law and legal framework to facilitate a National Service Scheme for youth after their Senior Six and university, present a private members bill to scrap all taxes on local tour companies operated by youth between 18-30 years.” 

Mr Sekitto  (Independent) says his focus will be on poverty eradication, improving education and enabling access to health services. 

“Politics is about improving lives of people by empowering them, therefore everything I shall do in politics will be directly or indirectly linked to empowering people of Mbarara City,” he says. 

He adds: “I want to boost agriculture by helping farmers to acquire inputs including fertilisers at subsidised prices. I will document projects of women and youth with a view of helping them get business training and advocate for them to get low interest loans. I will establish scholarships for needy but bright learners at all levels of education. I will work with government and other partners to get medical equipment for public and private health facilities.” 

Mr Tibazaara (Independent) says:  “Education is the driver for social–economic transformation, so I will focus on ensuring quality education for all. I will make sure school fees in all schools is the same, advocate for increase in the number of government-sponsored students in universities and improve remuneration of teachers.”

He adds: “I will legislate to improve youth skilling initiatives, youth loans and industrialisation to address the challenge of youth unemployment.”

About the candidates
Mr Mpaka, 33.  He went to Lohana Academy for Primary Education, Vienna College Namugongo for O-Level and Greenhill Academy for A-Level. Mr Mpaka has Bachelor of Science in Information Technology from Uganda Martyrs’ University and a Master of International Business Administration from ESLSCA Business School, France. Mr Mpaka is also the owner/president  of Mbarara City Football Club. 

Mr Muhumuza, 35 . He went to Uganda Martyrs’ Primary School, Kent Foundation College for O-Level, and Nganwa High School for A-Level. He has a Bachelor’s Degree in Development Studies from Mbarara University of Science and Technology and a Master’s in Local Government from the same institution.  Mr Muhumuza owns Fibra Uganda Ltd, a money lending business. The company has been helping youth to get employment within the country and abroad. 

Mr Mbareebaki, 48, went to Nyamiyaga Primary School then to Kampala High School for O and A-Level. He later enrolled for a diplomain Business Studies at Uganda College of Commerce Aduku and Makerere University for a Bachelor’s degree in accounting.  He deals in oil and gas. 

Mr Rutahaba, 52. He attended Kakoba Demonstration Primary School, St Joseph’s Vocational School in Mbarara for O-Level, Caltec Academy for A-Level and Makerere University for Bachelor of Business Administration, IUIU for a degree in Law and LDC.  Mr Rutabaha has worked as Regional manager Pepsi Cola, and director marketing at DHL International.
Mr Muzafaru, 29, studied at Katete Central Primary School, Nyamitanga Secondary School in Mbarara and Valley College in Bushenyi. Mr Muzafaru later studied National Diploma in Architecture Engineering at Uganda Technical College Bushenyi. He has worked at Africell Uganda as a Western Region Manager, Ankole Region Norland Industrial Group Manager and Director at Baale Mega-Tech Consults Co Ltd.

Mr Munanura, 28, studied at Kabateraine Memorial Primary School, Mbarara High School and St Peters Naalya for O and A-Level, respectively. He has previously worked with Joy’s Centre Cooperation as a programme manager, and at Water and Pumps as business development manager.  He has a Bachelor’s Degree in Industrial and Organisational Psychology from Makerere University.  

Mr Sekamate, 30, studied at Bishop Stuart Demonstration Primary School and Kakoba Muslim Primary School. He went to Nyamitanga Secondary School for O and A-Level and Islamic University in Uganda where he obtained a degree in Mass Communication. He has Master’s Degree in Journalism and Communication from Makerere University.

Mr Tusiime, 34, was at Kabanyoro Primary School, St Peters Katukuru and Mbarara High School for O and A-Level, respectively. He studied Chemical Engineering at Makerere University and has Master’s in Human Resource Management from Makerere University. He has Higher Diploma in Chemical Engineering from Nairobi University. He is the director Asante Engineers Limited. Mr Tusiime has worked with China Geo-Engineering Corporation as resident engineer (Uganda), Pepsi-Cola Uganda as a process engineer and Coca Cola Uganda as a process engineer.

Mr Sekitto, 37, went to Aunt Rachael Primary School, Nyamitanga Secondary School for O-Level and Valley College for A-Level. He later studied Bachelor of Commerce at Makerere University. 

Mr Tibazaara, 58, has Bachelor’s Degree in Education from Makerere University. He studied at Nyamiyaga Church School, St Peters Secondary School Katukuru and Ngabo Academy for O and A-Level. He has served as a teacher in different schools including Valley College in Bushenyi, Rushanje Girls Secondary School, Bugamba Secondary School and St Peters SS Katukuru.