Opponent will not divert me - Kadaga
Speaker of Parliament Rebecca Kadaga speaks to the state minister for Works, Mr Asuman Kiyingi, during celebrations of the Women’s Day at Kiige in Kamuli District recently. Photo by Opio Sam Caleb
Kamuli- The Speaker of Parliament, Ms Rebecca Kadaga, has said the emergence of an opponent to contest against her in the forthcoming 2016 elections is “the least of her concerns”.
In an email she sent to Daily Monitor last week, Ms Kadaga said the emergence of Ms Deborah Mwesigwa Mugerwa, a former senior enforcement supervisor with Uganda Revenue Authority, to contest against her in the battle to reclaim the Kamuli Woman seat will not divert her.
“I am not going to be diverted by political opponents in my quest to serve the people. Instead, it strengthens my resolve to serve my people with selfless devotion and passion. My focus is to hold Busoga together, plan big for it this season and reach out to all stakeholders to consolidate my party and President’s grip on the people,” she wrote.
Ms Kadaga’s sole candidature initiative was launched in February.
The move gained momentum last month when the vice president of the Opposition Forum for Democratic Change eastern region, Ms Salaamu Musumba, expressed support for her.
However, recently, Ms Mugerwa declared her intention to contest, saying: “Our mother (Ms Kadaga) was in Parliament even before the days of the Constituent Assembly Delegates and I am convinced that whatever she has not done to-date will be done by another person and that is me.”
Sections of Ms Kadaga’s supporters have, however, labelled Ms Mugerwa as the face of mafias that have been fighting the Kamuli Woman MP, a charge her campaigner, Mr Jolly Ibanda, denies.
“We are not being used. Our candidate has been eyeing the seat for quite some time and is ready for the showdown and surprises,” Mr Ibanda said.
Team welcomes rival
The main architect of Ms Kadaga’s campaign team, Mr David Kazungu, welcomed Ms Mugerwa’s emergence as a potential candidate, saying they are aware of other two candidates said to be on standby. “Deborah is welcome to the race to help in checking the voters support. What we are confident about is that the people know what and who is best for them,” Mr Kazungu said.
