Hoima’s Mugasa makes her mark

Hoima

The NRM could have swept national elections in most parts of the country but that did not make her chances a given. In fact, the office she was contesting for alone—mayorship—with perhaps only Mbale’s outgoing mayor, Ms Jamila Naleba, in the country, made it a mountain to climb for Mary Grace Mugasa.

Ms Mugasa came up against two bulls in mould of the FDC national trade and industry secretary, Mr Francis Atugonza, who was enjoying incumbency, and Mr David Kaboyo (independent), a former Hoima Town Council chairman, for the Hoima Municipality top seat.

Yet the 42-year-old politician weathered the storm in her way to now proudly call herself “mayor-elect of Hoima”, a municipality that was created in July 2010, when Hoima Town Council was upgraded to a municipal status.

Strength
She says her experience as a councillor gave her a chance to understand the challenges in local governance. “I realised that there was a leadership crisis in Hoima. The people who were leading lacked a vision of good leadership. I realised that I had the skills in governance and therefore decided to volunteer to vie for the mayoral seat,” she says.

Ms Mugasa says before she declared intention to stand, she realised that many leaders were struggling for their personal interests rather than fronting public service. Yet, through the campaigns, many people were awestruck by her determination to and courage to take on the bulls for the hot seat, a thing that made many people to vote for her, according to some sources. “Many women were reluctant to stand, yet we are the majority and the public trusts us. As a product of women emancipation, I decided to utilise this chance to stand,” she says.

Ms Mugasa was initially tipped by many voters to stand for Hoima Woman seat, but the MP thing did not whet her appetite. She felt she should be closer to her people. “I felt I could create a bigger impact at a local level if elected as mayor,” Ms Mugasa says.

During the campaigns, she reflects, she was underrated by some voters and her fellow contestants. “Whenever I would be underrated, I would get more inspiration to work harder to win. After winning the NRM flag, it became fashionable to win,” she adds.

Tracing her roots
Ms Mugasa says being God-fearing, having experience in leadership and clean leadership were key appealing factors for her before the electorates. Born in Munteme parish in Kiziranfumbi Sub-county in Hoima District, Ms Mugasa went to St John Bosco Primary School in Muteme and sat for PLE in 1982, before joining Buhimba SS where she spent only three weeks and opted instead to enroll at St Andrea Kaahwa’s College from where she completed O-Level in 1986.

“After my O-Level, I started teaching in several schools in Kiziranfumbi Sub-county,” Ms Mugasa says. She later returned to St Andrea Kaahwa’s College for her A-Level and sat for History, Economics and Divinity in 1989. After A-Level, she married Mr Aloysius Mugasa in 1990. Mr Mugasa is currently the chairman of the Hoima District Service Commission.

In 1998, she did two diploma courses in principles of modern management, sales management and marketing from Cambridge University in London. She later started training several groups in small businesses with the main focus being put on women before she joined active politics in 2001. “I became a woman councillor representing Northern ward in Hoima Town Council. I was made secretary for social services and chairperson of the water board,” Ms Mugasa says.

She was re-elected as female councillor for Northern ward to Hoima Town Council in 2006. She is currently doing her second year of a Masters Degree in Development Studies, at Uganda Martyrs University, Nkozi. “I am a trainer in good governance and leadership skills in Hoima Catholic Diocese and a businesswoman operating a bridal shop in Hoima Town,” she says.

In 2002, she enrolled for an Associate Bachelors Distance Course at Uganda Matrys University, Nkozi, in Democracy and Development Studies and graduated in 2008. After this course, she silently licked her thumb as she waited to take a shot at the mayoral seat. “All this greatly inspired me to stand for mayor. I was touched by the various murder cases in Hoima, which were resulting from unresolved land disputes. I could see several cases leading to death which would have been solved if there was competent leadership,” Ms Mugasa says.

Challenges
She says electioneering is expensive in facilitation. She is saddened that the people are not yet adequately sensitised on their roles and responsibility and roles of leaders. Ms Mugasa’s victory has also been separately disputed by her two vanquished opponents who claim the election was not free and fair and want to challenge her election in court.