The Independent Uganda: You get the Truth we Pay the Price
Kampala, Uganda | THE INDEPENDENT | Local leaders and residents of Bamunanika county in Luweero district have attributed the loss of the incumbent Member of Parliament and State Minister in Charge of Higher Education, John Chrysostom Muyingo on his silence on key issues affecting the constituency.
Muyingo lost in the just concluded elections to his former campaign manager and personal assistant, Robert Ssekitoleko who ran on the National Unity Platform-party ticket. Ssekitoleeko garnered 27,850 votes (50.97%) against 24,463 votes (44.77%) polled by his former boss.
Other candidates including Ronald Muyingo got 1,422 votes (2.61 votes), Moses Matovu from the Alliance for National Transformation- ANT 483 votes (0.88%) and Alex Kalyesubuula, an independent scored (0.77%). Till his defeat, Muyingo was in high spirits and assured of victory because of his development projects and support to voters.
Muyingo has awarded scholarships to over 4,000 children in the constituency, supported elders with basic necessities and donated money to groups and institutions such churches, schools and mosques. However, Ssekitoleeko capitalized on the minister’s silence on key issues such as land grabbing to win the support of voters.
The problem is wide spread in Kikyusa, Kamira and Kalagala sub counties which were Muyingo’s stronghold. According to Ssekitoleko, Muyingo was good at representing President Museveni’s interests in the constituency and Parliament but silent on issues affecting the voters.
Livingstone Kategeya, the former Kamira sub county LC 3 chairperson and NRM supporter says everywhere in the constituency, people are crying over land evictions and blaming Muyingo for not standing with his voters to fight land grabbers. Kategeya says the voters also transferred their anger to Museveni and NRM party, which they believe has failed to end the illegal evictions.
Kategeya won the NRM ticket to contest for the LC 3 chairperson seat in this election but opted out of the race for fear of defeat by NUP leaning independents citing unresolved grievances from residents.
Erasto Kibirango, an NUP coordinator and voter at Malungu village in Bamunanika sub county says although Muyingo did a good job to ensure he awards scholarships to needy children, the programme was messed up by his coordinators and created enmity for him.
Kibirango explains that coordinators had resorted to extorting money from beneficiaries while sidelining those who fail to pay money. He says Muyingo was also unreachable and delegated everything to his aides. “Even when people complained to Muyingo about his aides, he couldn’t do anything and the aggrieved people resorted to voting Ssekitoleeko who is approachable,” Kibirango said.
Godfrey Ssekyanzi, a resident of Zirobwe sub county says that Muyingo like Museveni was being elected by older persons but this time, the youths overwhelmed them at polling stations and voted for their age mate. Abdul Wasswa, the chief campaigner for Muyingo insists that the legislator has done well in the constituency and blamed his loss entirely on the National Unity Platform wave which swept through the district and Buganda region.
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