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LC chairmen blame voters for incompetent leaders

Mr Rogers Kaizire , the Chairman of Kalina Zone, Wabigalo Parish, addressing members of Hope for Wabigalo during a meeting held in  Wabigalo Parish  on January 14, 2025.  Photo/Jane Nafula

What you need to know:

  • The Patron Hope for Wabigalo Association, Mr Ismail Kabona Ssekitoleko, urged electorates to consider voting for a candidate from a political party that they don’t subscribe to if they realise that their competitor is better than the option they have at hand. 

Local Council leaders in Wabigalo Parish, Makindye Division, have blamed voters for the incompetent leaders holding different political positions.
 Uganda will early next year hold General Election; however, commercialisation of politics remains a big concern.

 A recent study dubbed “unregulated campaign spending and its impact on electoral participants in Uganda” by the Alliance for Finance Monitoring (ACFIM) indicated that the cost of contesting for a political seat was high, and that for one to become a Member of Parliament, they would require not less than Shs500m to facilitate the process.

 The Chairman of Kalina Zone, Wabigalo Parish, Mr Rogers Kaizire, said commercialisation of politics has forced most voters to opt for incompetent candidates who provide goodies, including money at the expense of those with the potential to serve diligently and articulate issues but have weak economic muscle or chose to stick to ethical code of conduct.

 “People often complain that every time they vote leaders into political positions, they don’t serve them to their expectations yet they vote for whoever is willing to offer a bribe as opposed to voting for those with potential to serve them as expected,” Mr Kaizire said at the weekend. 

Such inducements that the voters fall for, according to Mr Kaizire, include a bottle of soda, half kilo of salt, bar of soap or Shs1,000, and urged voters to front merit. 
“Don’t expect a lot from them,” he said on the sidelines of a get-together party organised by Hope for Wabigalo Association in Wabigalo Parish, adding: “I challenge you (voters) to pick candidates on merit and also demand for accountability at the end of a given political term.” 

He further advised: “Before they return to persuade you to give them another term, ask them what they have been able to do for their constituencies.” 

The Patron Hope for Wabigalo Association, Mr Ismail Kabona Ssekitoleko, urged electorates to consider voting for a candidate from a political party that they don’t subscribe to if they realise that their competitor is better than the option they have at hand. 
Mr Ssekitoleko, who subscribes to the Forum for Democratic Change (FDC), added: “I appreciate multiparty politics, but sometimes a Party may fail to present a ‘serious’ candidate; in such circumstances, choose the best even if they don’t subscribe to the Party you support. All we need is someone who can deliver.” 

Media figure and artiste, Tuff B (Robert Ssekidde), who is eyeing the Makindye East constituency MP seat currently occupied by Mr Derrick Nyeko of the National Unity Platform (NUP) backed the suggestion. 

The Kitoro Zone LC1 chairman, Mr Apollo Kawalya, who declared his intention to contest for the councilor position representing Wabigalo Parish, said “selfish” leaders were responsible for most of the problems that communities are grappling with, including poverty that has seen a number of children drop out of school.