The Independent Uganda: You get the Truth we Pay the Price
Nakasekea, Uganda | THE INDEPENDENT | Some of the voters in Nakaseke Central Constituency have revealed why they voted against the former finance minister and the area member of parliament, Hajat Syda Namirembe Bbumba.
The legislator lost last week’s parliamentary elections to the National Unity Platform-NUP candidate, Allan Mayanja Ssebunnya. He polled 9,298 votes against Bbumba’s 7,042 votes. The other candidates included Sulaiman Jakana Nadduli, the DP candidate, Godfrey Kiyingi, Christopher Senfuna and National Alliance Transformation-ANT candidate, Denis Ssettumba Sserwanga.
Prior to moving to Nakaseke Central Constituency, Bbumba represented Nakaseke North in parliament for over two decades and made a name for herself through the massive rural electrification project. Because of the successful implementation of the project, voters baptized the legislator ‘Maama Ggaake’ loosely translated the mother of light.
Many homesteads in rural areas such as Kikamulo, Kito and Wakyato among others are connected to the power grid. Those that are not yet connected are near an electric pole. Despite this, the voters decided to eject Bbumba from parliament.
Our reporter interviewed selected voters in Kikamulo, Kito, Butalangu and Wakyato Sub Counties in Nakaseke Central to understand their decision to vote against the legislator. Majority of the voters said despite the fact that they are happy with Bbumba’s contribution to their area, they were craving for other services such as health, education and better roads, which she overlooked.
In a phone interview on her next move after losing the elections, Bbumba told URN that she has so many development projects and will also venture into charity work. She attributed her defeat to the political wave that swept Buganda and took with it, several ministers and legislators.
Bbumba has served in cabinet under different portfolios including among others as Minister of Energy and Minerals from 2002 to 2006, Minister of Gender, Labor and Social Development from 2006 to 2008, Minister of Finance from 2009 to 2011 and Minister of Gender, Labor and Social Development from 2011 to 2012.
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