The Independent Uganda: You get the Truth we Pay the Price
Kampala, Uganda | THE INDEPENDENT | William Musisi, the first opposition candidate for the Nakaseke LCV chairperson seat is facing an uphill task to make inroads in the National Resistance Movement-NRM party stronghold.
Musisi who is running on the National Unity Platform-NUP ticket seeks to unseat the incumbent LCV chairperson Ignatius Koomu Kiwanuka. NRM has dominated the Nakaseke LCV chairperson seat since the district was operationalized in 2005.
In 2016, Koomu sailed through unopposed since there was no competitor to challenge him. Now, Musisi has unveiled his 10 point program manifesto with the hope of wooing voters and clinch the seat for the opposition.
The manifesto largely focuses on improving agricultural services, protecting land rights, lobbying job opportunities for youths, better health and education services among others. Musisi has already embarked on a campaign trail to reach out to voters in the 441 villages that makeup Nakaseke district to vote for him.
According to Musisi, NRM has forgotten the area when it comes to service delivery for the last 35 years despite its contribution to the bush war that ushered it in power.
Some voters in Nakaseke central constituency have welcomed Musisi’s manifesto as good, saying it’s time to vote opposition candidates because of disappointments by NRM leaders.
Muhamadi Lubwama, a resident of Magoma trading centre in Kikamulo sub county says that several people are unhappy with the NRM government over the delayed compensation of veterans and rehabilitation on installations that were destroyed during the NRA war of 1981-1986.
Some of the residents complained of the delayed tarmacking of Luwero-Kiwoko-Ngoma road and several other unfulfilled pledges.
However, Musisi faces an uphill task to campaign in Nakaseke North constituency which is characterized by intimidation of agents and hostility towards the opposition candidates. The constituency also hosts a large number of voters capable of making a candidate win the district chairperson’s seat.
It comprises of Ngoma, Kinyogogga, Wakyato, Kinoni sub-counties and Ngoma town council. In past campaigns, opposition candidates including Presidential candidate Dr Kizza Besigye were welcomed by empty venues because of threats by state operatives and NRM leaders directed at voters.
In 2011, the FDC candidate for Nakaseke North, Moses Kabalema was attacked and his vehicles set ablaze because he supported the opposition. Since then, no other opposition candidate has contested in the area. Last week, NRM Enock Nyongore was nominated unopposed as Nakaseke North parliamentary seat.
Nyongore said that voters in the area only vote for NRM candidates, saying he is confident that the NRM candidate Ignatius Koomu will receive overwhelming support. Nyongore is Koom’s chief campaigner in the constituency. The constituency is known for massively voting for NRM and President Yoweri Museveni.
In 2016, President Museveni scored 76.2 percent of the 64,557 votes cast in Nakaseke followed by Dr Besigye who came second with 21.2 percent. Majority of Museveni’s votes came from the constituency. In some polling stations, NRM candidates and President Museveni scored 100 percent amidst complaints of irregularities.
Asked how he will make inroads in such an area, Musisi downplayed the hostility and said residents are also ready for change. Other candidates facing challenges to campaign in the area are Esther Nakawooya, the DP candidate for the woman parliamentary seat and her NUP rival Violet Nakalema.
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