Faces fighting for NRM flag in LC5, mayor races

Today, the ruling NRM party picks its flag bearers for positions of mayor and district chairpersons for the 2021 General Election.
 This exercise is expected to bring plenty of drama and tension across the country.
In Mbale District, the race for the NRM flag for Mbale City mayoral seat has attracted four aspirants. They are Mr Vincent Magombe, a former contestant for Mbale District chairperson seat in 2016, and Mr Abdu Magoola,  a businessman; Mr William Masai, the Namasaba Sub-county councillor; and Mr Steven Mwelu, a lecturer at Uganda Christian University.

 Mr Mwelu promises to improve sanitation and hygiene, security of persons and property and fight corruption.
Mr Magombe says the entire city leadership needs an overhaul and adds that he will promote tourism and education in the city.
 “We are looking for a city that looks like a city, not a suburb. We must have better education standards in government-aided schools so that they compete favourably with private schools,” he says.

 Mr Magoola pledges to improve the road network in Mbale City.
 “The current leadership failed to maintain the roads and also to keep the town clean because of corruption,” he says.
 Residents blame lack of effective leadership on poor garbage collection, bad road network and corruption, among other ills in the city.

Youth Vs experience
In Lira City, former Gulu University guild president Morris Chris Ongom, who recently abandoned the Uganda Peoples Congress (UPC) party and joined NRM, pledges to promote “pro-poor, pro-talent education” for the urban poor. However, he must first beat two other contenders to become the official NRM flag bearer for Lira mayoral race in 2021 polls.
 His oponents are Mr George Mawa, the former councillor for Barogole Parish in Ojwina Division and Mr Mawa, who lost the race in 2016.
 “I am on my way to end corrupt leadership in Lira City. 2021-2026 is our time,” Mr Mawa says.

Mr Willy Omodo Omodo, a former NRM party youth league vice chairperson for northern Uganda and also former Oyam North parliamentary candidate, is also seeking the flag.
In Masaka City, Mr Willis Mbabazi, a businessman, is unopposed for the NRM flag for the mayoral seat.
 Mr Mbabazi owns an academy that promotes talent at both local and international level.

 “As an entrepreneur, I am aiming at creating opportunities for youth through establishment of small-scale industries to solve unemployment and poverty among young people,” he says.
 In Mbarara City, the race for NRM flag has attracted three candidates. They are the interim mayor, Mr Robert Mugabe, aka Kakyebezi, Mr Herbert Kamugisha and Mr Justus Karuhanga.

 Mr Kakyebezi was elected NRM flag bearer for Mbarara mayoral seat on October 28, 2015, and eventually as mayor in 2016.
 He says paving and lighting the city are some of his achievements.
Mr Kamugisha was the Rwanyamahembe Sub-county councillor. In 2015, he competed for the NRM flag for Mbarara District chairperson seat but lost to Mr John Baptist Tumusiime Bamuturaki.
Mr Kamugisha is a businessman, livestock farmer and head of the laity in Ankole Anglican Diocese.
Mr Karuhanga is currently the director of Crane Technical Services, a local construction company.

High stakes
In Adjumani District, two people are battling for the NRM flag for the chairperson seat.  They are Mr Ben Anyama, the former Dokolo resident district commissioner; and the incumbent, Mr James Leku.
 Mr Anyama says he intends to mobilise residents to engage in commercial agriculture to fight poverty.
 Mr Leku says he is seeking a second term to consolidate his achievements.

 In Fort Portal City,  the NRM flag for the mayoral seat is being sought by Mr Edson Asaba Ruyonga, who served as mayor from 2001 to 2016. He will tussle it out with Mr Paul Drake Kasande.
Whoever will win the NRM flag will face the incumbent, the Rev Kintu Muhanga (Independent), Mr Richard Muganzi (Independent) and any other candidate that may come from other parties.

 Mr Ruyonga says he wants to consolidate the development of the city whose creation he claims to have advocated for.
In 2011, he used a campaign slogan ‘Nikisoboka Fort Portal kufooka city’ loosely translated as “It is possible for Fort Portal to become a city.”
 His rival, Mr Drake Kasande, a new entrant in elective politics, is the chief executive officer at Private Sector Development and Consultant Centre.

 Mr Kasande says he will focus on tourism, infrastructural and education.
In the Arua City mayoral race, Mr Moses Amati, the former Dadamu Sub-county councillor, is among the contenders for the NRM ticket.
 “Our people are vulnerable because we have weak leadership. Youth have been abandoned without jobs,” he says.
His rival, the former mayor of Arua Municipality, Mr Charles Asiki, says he wants to continue with the dream of making Arua City a business hub.

 “Leadership should be about service delivery and not eating,” he says.
 The incumbent mayor, Mr Issa Kato, is in the race too. “We need to consolidate the current developments such as the market construction, Arua Hill Stadium, road tarmacking and connecting the area to clean and safe water in the next five years,” he says.

Promises
Mr Sam Nyakua, the Arua District chairperson, has also joined the race for city mayor.  Mr Nyakua says he will improve supply of electricity in the city.
  He has served as district chairperson since 2011.
 Mr Nasur Kafu, a businessman, has also joined the race, pledging employment for the youth.

In Rwampara, Sheema, Mitooma districts, the race for district leadership is not easy either.
The newly created district of Rwampara has attracted four contenders for the NRM flag. They are Mr Asaph Muhangi, interim district chairperson; Mr Balam Ndyaguma, the speaker of Mbarara District council;  Mr Richard Owomugasho; the former senior administrator at Ruharo Mission Hospital; and Mr Godson Zabashaija, an educationist.

Before Rwampara was elevated to district status in 2019, Mr Muhangi was a councillor representing Ndeija Sub-county in Mbarara District council. He has held different positions, including teaching, serving as Gomborora Internal Security Officer and sub-county chairperson.
He was also Mbarara District council secretary for works. He has promised to improve education, provide safe and clean water, improve road infrastructure and fight corruption.

Mr Ndyaguma joined Mbarara District council as male youth councillor.
He is the executive member of the Uganda Local Government Association representing district speakers from western Uganda. He pledges to unite the people of Rwampara who he says have been divided by politics, and create jobs for the youth and market for farmers.
Mr Owomugasho has served as an administrator at Ruharo Eye Clinic and several other leadership positions, including chairperson and vice chairperson board of directors for Bugamba Secondary School and  Rwampara Farm School, respectively.

He pledges better markets for farmers and value addition, environmental conservation, improved road network, education, healthcare and cottage industries. Mr Zabashaija owns Cranes Primary School, Public Trust High School both in Rwampara District, Trinity Vocational College in Ntungamo, Kakoba College of Computer and Vocational studies and Entebbe Skilling College Katabi in Wakiso Distrct.  Mr Zabashaija competed in NRM primaries in 2015 for the Rwampara MP seat but lost.
He promises bursaries for the poor and disadvantaged, expansion of rural electrification programme, tackling youth unemployment through skilling and provision of clean water.

Tight race
In Sheema, Mr Eldard Mwesigye, Mr David Kabigumira, Ms Jemimah Buhanda and Mr Laban Muhabwe are competing for the district chairperson seat on NRM ticket. The incumbent, Mr Kabigumira, won the seat in 2016 on Independent ticket after he lost the NRM primaries in 2015. He defeated Mr Pastori Mugisha in 2016 elections.

Mr Mwesigye is the councillor for Kasaana Sub-county in the district council. He is  the former  district vice chairperson. Mr Mwesigye was sacked by Mr Kabigumira four months ago over political rivalry. The conflict between the two is making the race more interesting.
Ms Buhanda is the former deputy speaker for Bushenyi District council.
Mr Muhabwe, a former commissioner of police, contested for Sheema South MP seat in 2016 on Independent ticket but was defeated by Prof Ephraim Kamuntu.

In Mitooma District, Mr Benon Karyaija, Mr Saverino Muhwezi, Mr Alex Karitundu and Mr Francis Kasyomezo are fighting for the NRM flag. Mr Karyaija is former district chairperson and hails from Kanyabwanga Sub-county. He was removed from office one year into his second term in July 2017 over accusations of abuse of office and disrespecting local leaders.

Mr Muhwezi is the sub-county chief for Rurehe, Mitooma, and hails from Mutara.
Mr Kasyomezo is the councillor for Katenga Sub-county and served as vice chairperson for Mitooma District during Mr Karyaija’s regime. Mr Karitundu is a local musician and entertainer hailing from Kashenshero Sub-county.

Compiled by Bill Oketch, Fred Wambede, Alfred Tumushabe, Felix Basiime, Felix Warom Okello, Scovia Atuhaire, Wilson Kutamba, Sam Caleb Opio, Polycap Kalokwera & Martin Okudi ,Rajab Mukombozi, Milton Bandiho & Alfred Tumushabe