Battleground constituencies to watch in NRM primaries
Battle lines have been drawn for NRM members aspiring to contest for Member of Parliament slots on the NRM party ticket.
The aspiring candidates, including NRM incumbent MPs and new entrants, have picked nomination forms ahead of the September 4 party primary elections.
While a few NRM candidates in some constituencies were nominated unopposed to hold their party flag, the outcomes of the parliamentary primary elections are almost impossible to predict in other constituencies given the personalities involved and the issues at hand.
Among the sticking issues most incumbent MPs seeking re-election must answer is the amendment of the Constitution to lift the age limit cap to allow President Museveni contest for another term.
Some of the ruling party MPs went against their voters’ position and voted to remove term limits.
For some historical constituencies, voters have asked the incumbents serving a second term to create way for new faces.
In other constituencies, former MPs are struggling to convince the voters to allow them another chance.
On nomination day, there were no horns or whistles owing to the Covid-19 pandemic but the battle for the constituencies is shaping up as hundreds are vying to be the NRM flag bearers.
One of those highly contested constituencies in the constituencies to watch is Rubanda East in Rubanda District. Here, the race is between the incumbent MP also the Rubanda District NRM chairperson, Mr Henry Musasizi, and the Rubanda District chairperson, Mr Jogo Kenneth Biryabarema.
However, when Mr Biryabarema was nominated to run against the incumbent during NRM primaries, things started falling apart.
The legislator, who is the Finance committee chairperson of the 10th Parliament, filed a criminal case against his rival, accusing him of recruiting “hooligans” to deface his campaign posters.
And when the Resident District Commissioner (RDC), Mr Rwakifari Kibondo, convened a meeting in an attempt to reconcile the warring parties recently, Mr Biryabarema dismissed the allegations.
He said the legislator is panicking because of the massive support the former has in the constituency.
However, Mr Musasizi says he has successfully implemented community projects such as equipping health centres, donating computers to education institutions and lobbying for hydropower extension to communities.
Like Rubanda, things are hot in Sheema Municipality too. The battle line has been drawn between four contenders. One of them is Dr Elioda Tumwesigye, the Minister of Science, Technology and Innovation.
Dr Tumwesigye, who is the incumbent Sheema Municipality MP, went to Parliament after the July 27, 2018 by-election.
Before beating Ms Plan Virginia Mugyenyi of the Forum for Democratic Change (FDC) party in the hotly contested by-election, the legislator had already beaten seven contenders in the NRM primaries.
Battle for Sheema Municipality
However, this time round, evidence shows it is not going to be an easy ride for Dr Tumwesigye’s re-election on the NRM ticket. This is because of Mr Dickson Kateshumbwa’s entry.
Mr Kateshumbwa, a former commissioner at Uganda Revenue Authority, recently donated sanitary pads to girls, distributed food items to vulnerable families, and fenced the matooke market and gave Kiziba Muslim community a water tank.
Other hopefuls eyeing the NRM ticket for Sheema Municipality MP are Mr David Kamukama and Mr Patrick Mutabwiire.
Mr John Asiimwe, a voter, says the tight race is between Dr Tumwesigye and Mr Kateshumbwa.
“A lot of money is exchanging hands but it’s not going to be easy since all the two are Anglicans,” he says, referring to the polarisation of politics in the area around religion.
In Ibanda Municipality, four people, including the former Makerere University vice chancellor, Prof Venansius Baryamureeba, are eyeing MP Tarsis Bishanga Rwaburindore’s seat.
Other aspirants are Dr Peter Agaba of Agaba Foundation, Mr Deus Murinde, the former LC3 chairman of Ibanda Town Council and Mr Ambrose Kanaana, a youth.
But Mr Rwaburindore says he is not bothered about Prof Baryamureeba’s declaration to run against him.
“By him going back to contest for the MP seat, he [Prof Baryamureeba] has demoted himself,” the legislator says of the former presidential candidate.
Prof Baryamureeba dismisses such misperception. “Many people think that when we go to higher offices and maybe there is a need for service at a lower level, then you should not go and serve. But ex-presidents become advisers, and in that way, they continue serving their communities,” he says.
In Amolatar District, the incumbent Woman MP, Ms Doreen Amule, is battling it out with Dr Agnes Atim to become the official NRM party flag bearer. Dr Atim is the chief executive officer and founder of Hope Development Initiative, a farmers’ cooperative in Lango Sub-region.
Currently, she is the chairperson of the Local Government Finance Commission. Dr Atim contested for the Woman MP seat in 2016 as an Independent after losing in the NRM primaries but was trounced again in the general polls.
Mr Francis Ogwang, a local political analyst, says Dr Atim’s fortunes have changed since 2016.
According to Mr Ogwang, the incumbent, Ms Amule, is facing the wrath of the voters for supporting the enactment of the law which ended presidential age limits.
“The people of Amolatar had warned her not to support the age limit removal but she turned against the people’s wish and supported it, that is why she was stoned by angry voters during her consultative rally over the matter in Amolatar Town Council,” he adds.
After that episode, Mr Ogwang says the legislator started moving around with military escorts, which he says further drew her away from voters.
In Mbarara City North, Mr Michael Tusiime, the incumbent, is competing for the flag with the NRM Entrepreneurs League chairperson and businessman, Dr Robert Mwesigwa Rukaari. Mr Tusiime is serving his first term in Parliament.
Mr Tusiime says he wants to nurture Mbarara City into an admirable and inclusive urban area.
Dr Rukaari says: “I have a proven track record of leadership in business and at the highest decision making level of the ruling NRM party.”
In Rushenyi County, Ntungamo District, State minister for Labour Mwesigwa Rukutana has been facing the toughest contest since he became area MP in 1993.
Mr Rukutana, former Ntungamo Woman MP Naome Kabasharira and three others are battling for the NRM flag. Other people in the race are Mr Norman Kashereka, Mr Nicholas Niwahereza and Mr Bob Nahabwe.
Mr Rukutana says tribal politics and bribery of voters that are being talked about in the area will never define the constituency anymore.
Ntungamo Municipality is another constituency to watch in this NRM primaries. There are six candidates contesting to become the official flag bearer. They are former MP Yona Musinguzi Bikwasizehi, businessman Edward Beyendeza Bekunda and Lt (Rtd) Moses Babyomera Magufuri. Others are Mr Colina Mbanawe Katera, Ms Agness Ninsiima Kaana and Mr Salim Bigyega.
Political commentators say the most popular candidates among the six are Mr Musinguzi, Mr Beyendeza and Mr Magufuri.
Ntungamo Municipality is currently represented by Mr Gerald Karuhanga who recently joined the Alliance for National Transformation (ANT) party.
In Rujumbura, Rukungiri District, Rtd Maj Gen Jim Muhwezi, the former minister of Information, has returned to the constituency he had led since 1996 until he was defeated in 2016 by FDC’s Fred Turyamuhweza.
Maj Gen Muhwezi faces yet a big challenge from his 2016 challenger, Mr Julius Muhurizi, an advocate and businessman. They are further joined by Mr Vanansio Nahwera Bagateireyo, a former journalist with Vision Group.
The Bushenyi District Woman MP race is also hot. The contenders for the NRM flag are the incumbent, Ms Mary Karooro Okurut, and Ms Annet Katusiime Mugisha, the wife of Eng Silver Mugisha, the managing director of National Water and Sewerage Corporation.
Ms Karooro has been running a project of skilling young girls in the district.
Recently, she also donated hand hoes, solar and food in the area and is currently building a sanitary pad factory at Kutungu.
Meanwhile, Ms Katusiime, through Bamugisha Community Welfare initiative, has supported village saving groups and church projects.
Mr Wilson Karuhanaga, a voter in Nyakabirizi Division, Ishaka-Bushenyi Municipality, says: “Some people are bringing religion in women MP campaigns; this could affect us as NRM; leaders should condemn it.”
Bushenyi, just like the neighbouring Sheema, politics has in recent times been polarised around religion, with Protestants and Catholics always supporting their respective candidates.
Ambassador seeks seat
In Bukonzo West, Kasese District, the former Defence minister, Dr Crispus Kiyonga, has made a comeback since he lost the seat in 2016 to FDC’s Godfrey Atkins Katusabe.Dr Kiyonga and Mr Milton Wangalima, who participated in the 2016 NRM party primaries, are all back in the race again.
Dr Kiyonga, who is the Ambassador of Uganda to China, has promised his supporters that “come rain or sunshine,” he will go back to Parliament.
In Lwengo District, Mr Hajj Abdul Kiyimba, the outgoing Kyengera Town Council chairperson, is fighting hard to snatch the party ticket from the incumbent, Mr Muhammad Muyanja Mbabaali.
Supporters from both camps have previously engaged in violent physical fights and some ended up in hospitals.
In Gomba District, the former State minister for Urban Planning Mariam Najjemba Mbabaali is fighting to make a political comeback in Gomba East constituency.
Ms Mbabaali, Mr Emmanuel Kalule Ssengo and Mr Gilbert Ndahiro are all eyeing the NRM ticket.
In Sembabule, the hotly contested constituencies are Mawogola North and Lwemiyaga County. For instance, Mr Joy Kafura Kabatsi, the State minister for Transport, and Mr John Patrick Kateeba, the manager finance at National Identification and Registration Authority (Nira) are all eyeing the NRM ticket.
But they are not alone. Mr Edmond Bwire Nuwagaba, the chief executive director N+B Global Logistics, also wants to unseat the incumbent, Mr Theodore Ssekikubo, who has dominated the constituency politics since 2001.
In Mawogola North, the battle is between Mr Hillary Tukundane, Mr Salim Kisekka, Ms Catherine Nakayiza, President Museveni’s younger brother Sodi Aine Kaguta and Shartis Musherure, a daughter of Foreign Affairs minister Sam Kutesa.
In Kitgum Municipality, State minister for Water and Environment also the incumbent area MP Beatrice Anywar, is battling for the flag with Mr Oryem Kissinger, the councillor for Pager Division.
The youthful councillor, who appears to be popular among the youth, is a former footballer with Police FC. He is also a lead panellist of a popular talk show known as Kacoke Maditi, where people discuss issues affecting them in the community.
For Kitgum District Woman MP, the tight race is between Ms Margret Lamwaka Odwar, the incumbent, and Ms Lillian Aber, the former National Youth Council chairperson and the current presidential adviser on youth affairs.
Ms Aber is popular in the urban areas and among the youth, while Ms Lamwaka is popular in the sub- counties.
Battle for Mbale city
In Mbale City, the incumbent Woman MP, Ms Connie Nakayenze Galiwango, faces an up task of retaining the NRM flag in the party primaries.
Among the candidates eyeing the ticket include the chairperson of the NRM women’s league, Ms Lydia Wanyoto. Others include Ms Jalia Namasaba, a social worker and businesswoman, and Ms Shadia Luwungule Hussein.
Mr Innocent Dibba, a local political analyst, says whoever will emerge as a winner in the NRM primaries is likely to take the seat in the General Election.
“The race is between Ms Wanyoto and Ms Galiwango in the NRM primaries. This means that whoever wins the NRM flag, will probably be our woman MP,” Mr Dibba says.
Mr Hassan Magobe, a supporter of NRM party and youth leader, says Ms Galiwango committed no crime representing their views in Parliament.
“She has delivered to our satisfaction and she should be voted back at all cost. She also supports President Museveni,” Ms Magobe says.
Minister faces tough test
In Manafwa, the battle for NRM ticket for the Woman MP seat is between the incumbent who is also the Energy minister, Ms Mary Goretti Kitutu.
Others are Ms Rose Mutonyi, who is the incumbent MP for Bubulo West constituency but has now declared her intentions to run against Ms Kitutu.
The other candidate is Ms Annie Mugomba, who is the chief executive officer of Mungoma Events and president of Uganda Shooting Sport Federation.
Mr John Musira, a resident of Butiru Town Council, says he will vote for the incumbent because she is developmental.
“The incumbent MP is developmental and we will vote her back to parliament,” he says.
In Busoga Sub-region, Jinja South East constituency will arguably be the strongest battleground during the NRM primaries, pitting interim Jinja City Mayor Majid Batambuze against perennial contestant Nathan Igeme Nabeta.
In Sironko, the incumbent Woman MP, Ms Florence Nambozo, is tussling it out with three other aspirants.
Among them include Ms Asha Nabulo Lumolo, the daughter of businessman Suleiman Mafabi Lumolo.
Others are Ms Aisa Nagudi, a former Eastern Youth MP aspirant, and Ms Hilda Nadunga, a teacher.
