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We are counting only one day to wait for the long waiting 2021 general elections for all and what the next is for you, Uganda. These elections seem to be threatening not only to the contesting candidates but also the general public.
We have quite several contesting candidates; some are popular and outstanding, but some are silent and not known to the public. Looking at those who are popular and known by the public, we have; the incumbent His Excellency President Yoweri Kaguta Museveni Tibuhaburwa, the presidential flag bearer for National Resistance Movement, which is the current ruling party, Kyagulanyi Sentamu Robert, the popular singer /musician/businessman/actor who is the presidential flag bearer for the National Unity Platform.
This was formed early last year, Major General Mugisha Muntu who is the presidential flag bearer for National Alliance Transformational, there is also Engineer Patrick Amuriat for Forum for Democratic Change, Norbert Mao for the democratic party and also John Katumba who is an independent candidate and the youngest in the race commonly referred to as 2021 general elections political comedian.
However, some are a little bit silent and not so popular to the public in the race. Most of them are independent of these: Linda Nancy Kalembe, the only female candidate; Major General Henry Tumukunde, Joseph Kabuleeta, who is a pastor; Fred Mwesigye and Willy Mayambala standing for the disabled community.
The coming elections seem to be so overwhelming and worrying to the public fact that we have seen quite a several deaths happening before elections, and this has put Ugandans in tension; there have been quite several riots in 2020, beginning with the November 3rd riots after the arrest of National Unity Platform’s presidential candidate Kyagulanyi Sentamu Robert alias Bobi wine and Forum Democratic Change candidate that is engineer Patrick Amuriat which left close to 60 rioters and other innocent civilians dead (may their souls continue to rest in peace), over 100 people injured and disabled while over one thousand others were imprisoned and are still detained in police custody.
There has been several other riots and complaints from the public following the consistent arrests of the two most influential opposition candidates who have been brutality tortured by police; these have been blocked from campaigning in several districts, so far over 27 districts, this blockage is mainly done by the police in a bid to stop these candidates from delivering their message to their supporters who are yearning for a change of governance since 1986 January 26th.
The National Resistance Movement has been the ruling party since 1986 when president Museveni took in January; since then, Uganda has had several presidential candidates contesting against the incumbent; however, these have not been successful; one of the strongest candidates the opposition side has had since then has been Colonel Doctor Kizza Besigye the former presidential candidate and the founder of Forum for Democratic Change.
Dr.col Kizza Besigye last contested and campaigned in the previous general elections of 2016, where he lost to the incumbent president Yoweri Museveni; Besigye got 3,508,687 votes that is 35.61%, while Museveni got 5971872 votes that are 60.62%, Colonel Kizza Besigye has lost to the Incumbent president Museveni four times that is 2001, 2005, 2011 and 2016 general elections. He has been bound to retire and give other political parties and candidates space to try their luck. Thus, he didn’t come back for the 2021 general elections handing over to the current Forum for Democratic Change opposition leader and flag bearer, Engineer Patrick Oboi Amuriat.
With the current polls, Kyagulanyi Sentamu And Patrick Amuriat are the strongest opposition candidates in the race; however, still, Kyagulanyi seems to be a more serious threat to the incumbent President Yoweri Museveni and has made him talk in tongues as compared to FDC’s Amuriat. Kyagulanyi Sentamu was first elected as a member of parliament in 2017 when he contested for the member of parliament seat for Kyadondo East county constituency and won by 77.7%, losing at only two polling stations out of the 93 polling stations, Bobiwine got 25,659 votes while the National Resistance movement candidate William Sitenda Sebalu got 4556 votes, the incumbent Apollo Kantinti for FDC got 1832 votes, Nkuyingi Muwanda who was on the independent ticket got 575 votes, while Sode Male Kayongo got 311 votes and 41 votes were reported invalid.
This parliamentary seat gave a platform to the rise of the current strongest opposition leader Kyagulanyi Sentamu Robert; he announced his candidacy for the 2021 general elections in June 2019. At first, Bobiwine seemed to be not so much of a threat to the incumbent; however, of late, he has gone viral not only on social media but also being known and recognized by the public, and people can’t wait for the day to come and cast their vote to him.
Bobi wine and his team plus supporters have been described by the incumbent as hooligans who are supported by foreigners with intentions of destabilizing the peace of Uganda; however, Bobiwine has become a threat to the incumbent to the extent of making him talk in tongues and starting to say what the public doesn’t expect out of him.
Recently, just two days back, he was quoted in a video he was sending out to the ghetto kids saying that” warrior angyigiriza oruyayi wano, abayaye nali nkolagana nabo 1968 naye ate wetwagenda muntarro abantu bange benakwasa akatti tebakoragana bulungi nabo naye kati NRM ezeyo mu ghetto okukwatagana namwe, Mulimutya bakyali bange mugambakyi mwena ba blood bange aba silent majority tebabatisatisa mugende muronde Yoweri Kaguta Tibuhaburwa Museveni owabus eya yellow ne ba member pa parliament aba NRM tusecuringe future eya Uganda Wamu, mwebale nyo mwebalile dala.”
Those were the words of president Museveni himself to the Ghetto kids of whom the majority are supporters of the opposition leader Kyagulanyi Sentamu Robert, and he has always called them hooligans; it’s funny how he has always called them hooligans, and now he is getting back to them by calling them siblings “ ba blood bange,” I hope Ugandans out there you are watching, endeavor to cast your vote wisely for your best candidate rather than the one who will be an ally for a single second and an enemy in the next seconds.
What do you have to think about president Museveni’s message to the ghetto kids? Is it really worth it in regards to how he has always termed them?