Unlike in 2011, when the NRM performed dismally at the hands of Democratic Party and only managed to get five councilors, this time round during the 2016 polls NRM performed well and gained majority of Municipal council LCIV Councilors. Out of the 21 LCIV slots that were up grabs during the 2016 general elections, NRM gained 11 slots while the Democratic Party scooped only 10 slots. With NRM having the numbers, it was only evident that a speaker would be elected from the NRM.
NRM played a smart political mind game and left Democratic Party Councilors and Mayor Kayanja blinded. Councilor Penina Kasaija was the NRM sole candidate to battle for the Speakership with DP’s Annet Balega. However NRM councilors also fronted Jimmy Mutabazi after they realized that it was necessary to hoodwink Mayor Kayanja and other DP Councilors that NRM had two candidates who would end up splitting their votes and eventually giving Annet Balega a clear victory.
However on Tuesday Jimmy Mutabazi ‘stood down’ for Penina Kasaija who eventually beat Annet Balega in the race. What shocked Mayor Kayanja and other DP Councilors is how one of their councilors Assumpta Nakamya sided with NRM and voted for Penina Kasaija. The DP councilors expected to lose the speakership race to NRM to a 11-10 margin but it turned out that it was a 12-9 margin with Assumpta Nakamya’s vote being the twelfth.
Though a Democratic Party diehard, Councilor Assumpta Nakamya fell out with the Democratic Party leadership in Entebbe and is an out-spoken critic of Mayor Kayanja. NRM councilors learnt of her ordeal in DP and brought her on their side.
Meanwhile more information has begun to emerge that Mayor Kayanja paid off three NRM Councilors to have them vote for Annet Balega as Speaker. Esther Asiimwe (female youth councilor), Sekandi Amir (Male Youth representative) and Rhoda Banda the Banga LCIV Area Councilor were allegedly bribed by Mayor Kayanja but disappointed him as they failed fulfill his mission. However entebbenews cannot independently verify these claims and allegations.
After standing down for Penina Kasaija, Mutabazi contested for the works committee chair with Amos Byansi but a surprise in the race was Assumpta Nakamya who played a political mind game with Jimmy Mutabazi, Sekandi Amir and Banga-Nakiwogo LCIV Councilor Rebecca Nasamba. Sekandi Amir nominated Nakamya Assumpta to vie for the Works Committee chair but her intention was to spoil Amos Byansi’s votes. She voted herself and left Byansi with only 09 votes while Mutabazi won with 10 votes.
