After being defeated in nine of the twelve districts that constitute Busoga sub-region in the 2021 presidential elections, the ruling party NRM supporters went back to the drawing board to avoid similar misfortunes in the forthcoming polls.
The political ground for the National Resistance Movement (NRM) flag bearer, Mr Yoweri Kaguta Museveni, appears to have changed positively as January 15 elections approach.
The Iganga District NRM chairperson, Mr Abubaker Walubi, who also serves as the chairperson of NRM chairpersons in this sub-region, noted that the shift in support for the party has been prompted by a number of factors.
According to Mr Walubi, a meeting was held to evaluate what went wrong for the party to perform badly in a region where strong support was routine during every general election.
Mr Walubi explained that taking people for granted that supporting NRM was their duty had caused problems, so this time people were asked to stop laxity in looking for votes.
“As a matter of fact, the support for NRM in Busoga has increased, but there is no miracle in this because we discovered that last time we took people for granted. However, in our meeting, a resolution to keep campaigns on the ground was reached,” Mr Walubi said. “As I speak now, whoever started the vote soliciting has remained in touch with the people.”
Mr Walubi pointed out the idea of stopping UPDF soldiers from mistreating people, especially fishermen on the water bodies that cover some parts of Busoga. He cited the last-minute unity among leaders in Busoga.
“In the beginning, we were working in isolation as Busoga NRM leaders, but we are now speaking the same language as campaigns near the end. This unity has brought our candidates back into the game of winning,” Mr Walubi observed. “For sure, if elections were held today, no one can defeat us.”
Mr Walubi highlighted that several Health Centre IIs and IIIs have been upgraded in different districts of Busoga and equipped with drugs, which has softened people’s hearts in favor of NRM.
Mr Walubi disclosed that, as in other parts of the country, allowing local leaders to manage NRM campaigns, coupled with the Parish Development Model cash benefits and Emyoga money, has cemented support for NRM compared to the previous elections.
Mr Medi Ntuuyo, the Jinja City NRM General Secretary, indicated that the appointment of people from Busoga to top government offices has also leveled the playing field for NRM.
“For the first time in history, Kampala Capital City Authority has an Executive Director and Deputy from Busoga,” Mr Ntuuyo said.
“They have been appointed alongside the Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of Gender, Labour and Social Development, Mr Aggrey Kibenge; the Executive Director of the National Planning Authority; the Executive Director of the Electricity Regulatory Authority, Ms Ziriya Wako; the PS of the Ministry of Works, Mr. Bageya Waiswa; and the Deputy Presidential Press Secretary, Mr Farouk Kirunda, among others, whom campaigners are referring to in order to encourage people to vote for NRM.”
Mr Ntuuyo added that facilitation for the campaigners has now reached the people in Busoga, unlike during the previous election when the Kampala-based team failed to deliver the funds.
Mr Ntuuyo added that the setting of a minimum price for sugarcane and the subsequent abolition of the five percent tax levy on sugarcane farmers’ trash by the millers has increased support for NRM, as most people are involved in sugarcane growing as a cash crop, unlike in the previous election when the price per tonne of sugarcane was below Shs100,000 compared to the current price of Shs125000.
Mr Rogers Kiduma, the Kaliro Assistant Resident District Commissioner, cited fulfilled pledges as one of the factors boosting NRM’s fortunes in Busoga. President Museveni promised to construct Sakka Bridge along the Kaliro-Pallisa road, which is now complete.
“Residents here are happy and ready to vote for NRM because of this,” Mr. Kiduma said.
Mr Kiduma emphasized that extending electricity to rural areas, as a fulfilled pledge, has created significant election opportunities for NRM in Kaliro.
According to Mr. Kiduma, electricity in Kaliro villages is being seen as a miracle, as locals believed it was only for town residents, so voting for NRM is their way of showing appreciation. Mr Kiduma attributed the alleged increase in support to the appointment and deployment of many RDCs from the Busoga region.
The Jinja Assistant Resident District Commissioner, Mr. Samuel Kawuta, cited President Museveni’s reconciliation with First Deputy Prime Minister Ms Rebecca Kadaga as the final factor in reviving NRM’s fortunes in Busoga.
Mr Kawuta stressed that Ms. Kadaga’s call for residents to support NRM has filled many gaps in Busoga’s political landscape.
“Opposition parties were exploiting the political gaps between the president and Ms. Kadaga to penetrate Busoga, but when Ms. Kadaga came out to tell people to forget what happened during the central executive elections and support NRM, its momentum began to grow,” Mr Kawuta said.
He noted that the empowerment of ghetto boys and masters of ceremonies in the Busoga region has also been used as a tactic to gather support for the party.
Mr Kawuta revealed that all MCs in Busoga promote the NRM message at the events they manage, helping people develop a positive attitude toward the party.
Mr Kawuta recalled that in previous campaigns, all the ghetto boys supported the opposition, but with the empowerment they have received, they have limited their association with the opposition.