Town battles of 2021

Mbarara

Mbarara will be divided into two constituencies; Mbarara North and Mbarara South divisions. Originally this was one constituency as a municipality, and now with the two carved out, has seen strategizing and jostling from prominent personalities, some with positions in parliament and others at the district level.

Mwine Mpaka, the Western Youth MP, though quiet and reticent is heavily involved in activities to take Mbarara South. Mbarara is the largest town in the south western part of the country and its politics is watched closely by those at the centre of power.

Mpaka is the president of Mbarara City FC and its financial muscle. Mbarara City FC is a galvanizing force for the district particularly among its youthful population. It has been in the Super League for the last two years since Mpaka became its patron. “We even beat KCCA FC,” a boda boda rider told The Independent recently.  KCCA FC is a traditional soccer giant in Uganda football and has been the benchmark for club football development in the country.

Mpaka has sunk chunks of money among over 2000 boda boda riders and also supports women groups in their SACCOs. He pays rent for their association offices and is involved in other ventures either as patron or as a youth MP lending them political support. Mpaka was not available for comment by press time.

Mbarara residents say the 32 year old has all but secured another term in parliament. Mpaka though is no ordinary MP. He is the son of Bright Rwamirama, a longtime minister in President Museveni’s government. After the December cabinet reshuffle, Rwamirama was re-appointed minister for animal husbandry, where he served for many years before. Rwamirama, MP for Isingiro North, sits in the same parliament with his son Mpaka.

Why observers say Mpaka has locked the position of Mbarara South is because Deus Tumusiime, a former LCV chairman of Mbarara district, is the only one that has emerged so far to go against him. Sources say Tumusiime’s record as a district chairman in the period 2011-2016 leaves a lot to be desired. The sub-divisions that fall under Mbarara South are Nyamitanga, Nyakayojo and Kakoba.

For Mbarara North, Robert Mwesigwa Rukari, a businessman and chairman NRM Entrepreneurs league, is putting his bid in position. He is the executive chairman of American Procurement Company (AMPROC) Uganda Limited. In this position, he will contest with Michael Tusiime, the current MP for Mbarara Municipality. Mbarara North has the subdivisions of Kamukuzi, Biharwe, Kakiika and sources on the ground say Rukari has an upper hand because of his financial muscle power. As chairman of the ruling party’s entrepreneurship league, he has been able to marshal a large network of financial resources.

The other reason is that some voters in Mbarara are still unhappy with Tusiime, who vehemently supported the lifting of the presidential age limit. Mbarara with a population of 195,000 has also had Rwampara district carved out of it in 2019 with Rwampara as a new district.

Arua

One of the fastest growing towns in Uganda with a population of 62,000 per the 2014 national population census, Arua will also have two constituencies; Arua Central and Ayivu division. Kassiano Wadri, the Arua Municipality MP is interested in the position of Arua Central according to informed sources.

Nusura Tiperu, whom Wadri defeated in 2018 is one of those vying for Arua Central. Tiperu is expected by some to be the NRM candidate in the race.

Ayivu division, the other consistency has also attracted a number of candidates in the race. Unlike most cities which will have two constituencies of East and West; Arua will have Arua Central and Ayivu due to ethnic and religious dynamics. “This was due to a technicality of the local politics,” Reagan Okumu says. He explains this is because Arua municipality is dominated by the Aringa people who are mostly Muslims while Ayivu is occupied by the Lugbara who are largely Christians. Ayivu is located mainly outside the Arua Township.

Masaka

The coffee growing district of Masaka will have Mathias Mpuuga, MP for Masaka Municipality and Ugandan EALA MP Mukasa Mbidde battle for one of the two divisions; Kimanya-Kabonero and Nyendo-Mukungwe Divisions.

Jinja will have the divisions of East and West and its renowned politicians like Moses Balyeku, Paul Mwiru, Harry Kasigwa and Igeme Nabeta are said to be in their respective mobilisation campaigns for the 2021 elections.

Gerrymandering

The gerrymandering by government has come at a cost such as the recent decision by the Constitutional Court in Kampala ordering six MPs to vacate Parliament on grounds that they were elected in constituencies that were non-existent.

The affected MPs are, Elioda Tumwesigye (Sheema, NRM party), Tarsis Rwaburindore (Ibanda, NRM), Hashim Sulaiman (Nebbi, NRM), Abraham Lokii (Kotido, NRM) Asuman Basalirwa (Bugiri, Jeema) and Patrick Ochan (Apac, UPC).

In a unanimous decision, the court ruled that the elections held in the above constituencies or municipalities, were conducted neither in general elections nor in by-elections. The court stressed that the six seats contested for did not have a vacancy and were already represented by elected MPs in the general elections of 2016.

“Vacancies would occur in the municipalities of Apac, Sheema, Ibanda, Nebbi, Bugiri and Kotido with necessary demarcation by the second respondent (EC) and would be available for contest in the next general elections upon dissolution of the sitting parliament or unless any particular existing seat becomes vacant under articles 83 and 84 of the constitution.” The court ruling read.

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