Mr Samuel Begiira, the National Resistance Movement (NRM) flag bearer has won the Central Region youth MP race with a landslide victory, defeating six other contenders.
A total of 1,105 delegates from 27 districts of Buganda took part in the election conducted at Masaka Sports Arena -Kitovu in Masaka City on Wednesday, January 28.
Begiira, the current chairperson Gomba Youth League, polled 1,001 votes while his closest challenger, Isaac Nazimuura (Ind) got 46 votes. Makerere Guild President James Churchill Sentamu (Ind) came third with 34 votes, while the opposition National Unity Platform (NUP) candidate Edward Kulabako garnered 12 votes. Andrew Bbaale of DP got two votes, while independents Gloria Nawanyaga, Tony Raymond Jjagwe got four votes and one vote respectively. After being declared the winner by Ms Harriet Kashagire, the central region EC returning officer, Begiira promised to prioritise job creation for youth who constitute 75 per cent of Uganda’s population.
‘I am very excited about this new journey, and I promise to use this new position to help the youth get jobs and also fight poverty through the existing programmes like Parish Development Model,’ he said.
Begiira replaces Agnes Kirabo, who contested for the Luweero District Woman MP seat in the January 15 Election and lost to NUP’s Brenda Nabukenya.
However, Kulabako decried the monetisation of elections, saying this vice is denying the country good leaders.
‘ I have lost [the election ] not because I did not have support, but because I lacked money. We are supposed to campaign in all the districts in the region, which is costly, yet the youth lack enough resources to facilitate this whole process. Even on Election Day, a candidate who has a lot of money to give to delegates is the one who wins the election; it has been like this over the years, and it has to change,’ he said
Mr Bbaale castigated the EC for delaying to share the voters’ register with candidates, blaming it for his loss.
‘I think it was deliberate to give us the register late so that we don’t campaign and talk to the delegates. We need serious reforms to have elections that reflect the will of youth in Uganda,’ he said.
Ms Kashagire commended the delegates for observing discipline, describing the exercise as largely peaceful.
‘There could have been some hiccups here and there, but all in all it has been a successful exercise, where we made mistakes, we shall improve in future polls,’ she said.