The race for the Busia mayoral seat has attracted six candidates, setting the stage for a closely contested election shaped by debates on accountability, infrastructure development, and service delivery in the busy border town. One of the contenders is Ms Aisha Kalombo, the Eastern Division chairperson, who is contesting as an Independent candidate. She is the only woman in the race. Looking back at her time in leadership, Ms Kalombo says she is proud of her role in lobbying for the construction of Sofia Health Centre III.
‘The area where Sofia Health Centre III stands was previously a fruit market, but when the government requested land for the construction of a health facility, I took a bold step and worked with the municipal authorities to allocate the market land,’ she says. Ms Kalombo says that if elected mayor, she will prioritise accountability in the use of all funds allocated to development projects in the border town. ‘We plan to work on improving the road network, tarmacking more roads, and ensuring access to clean water across all the 24 villages,’ she said.
Another contender is Mr Iddi Ouma, who is also running as an Independent candidate. He previously served as the national youth chairman of the Forum for Democratic Change (FDC) before falling out with the party leadership. Mr Ouma argues that Busia Municipality needs a leader who is educated and capable of critically examining all programmes being implemented. ‘Our current mayor does not attend meetings and cannot read, and that is why the town has not had any new development projects in the last five years,’ Mr Ouma claims.
He adds that although Busia Municipality was among the towns that received the highest funding under the USMID programme, amounting to Shs27 billion, it was ranked the poorest in the country in terms of implementation. ‘We want to promote accountability for all the funds we receive from the central government so that our people can enjoy quality services,’ he says. Mr Ali Mande, the former chairperson of the Uganda Clearing and Forwarding Association for Busia, is the ruling party’s flag bearer in the mayoral race. Mr Mande says as a major entry point into the country, Busia deserves first-class infrastructure, including well-maintained roads and improved public services.
He says Busia is one of the dirtiest towns due to poor waste management, a challenge he says he will prioritise if elected. ‘We should be able to lobby for more funds to keep our town clean and ensure that our road trenches are free from blockages,’ Mr Mande says. Mr Mande also criticised the incumbent mayor, Mr Sadik Amin, claiming that apart from attending and making speeches at burials, he rarely attends council or public meetings where key issues affecting the municipality are discussed. Mr Iddi Kibaki, the current chairman of Western Division, is the National Unity Platform (NUP) flag bearer in the Busia mayoral race.
He was first elected in 2021 on the Forum for Democratic Change (FDC) ticket before crossing to NUP.
Mr Kibaki is credited with overseeing some of the best roadworks and implementing effective waste management policies in the division. Mr Kibaki says that despite Western Division collecting the lowest local revenue compared to Eastern Division, they have prioritised roadworks and waste management. He adds that much of the money sent to the municipality by the central government is not properly utilised, and he intends to enforce a zero-tolerance policy on corruption.
He also accused Mr Amin of presiding over the failed Busia Market project.
‘The central government constructed the Busia Market at a cost of Shs24.5 billion, but the facility is turning into a white elephant. We need a policy that will ensure the market becomes fully functional,’ Mr Kibaki says. Meanwhile, Mr Amin, the FDC flag bearer, has dismissed criticism from his rivals, saying they are insensitive to the real challenges facing the town. Mr Amin argues that the funds sent to the municipality are not enough to implement all planned activities.
He says the money allocated for roadworks is particularly inadequate and that he needs more time to lobby for additional funding.
Mr Amin, a grandson of former Ugandan president Idi Amin Dada, says he revived the construction of the municipal offices, a project that had stalled for more than five years. ‘I have built the offices and partially completed a sizable portion of the premises, and I am seeking another term to complete the construction,’ Mr Amin says. Mr Siraji Omunyu, the former Eastern Division chairperson, is the flag bearer for the People’s Front for Freedom (PFF). Mr Omunyu says that despite Busia being the main entry point from Kenya into Uganda, the town remains disorganised and poorly planned. Like the other candidates, he says he will prioritise roadworks within the municipality, improve street lighting, and ensure that residents have easy access to affordable and clean water.