Michael Kakembo Mbwatekamwa cruised to victory in the Democratic Party Member Of Parliament aspirants’ race. Kakembo who is also Mayor Kayanja’s Political assistant garnered 29 Electoral College votes to trounce Senoga Leonard Mivule the Political assistant to Wakiso LCV Chairman Matia Lwanga Bwanika who only managed to garner 13 votes. Mbwatekamwa’s victory was assured after Deo Lubwama the Deputy LCIII Chairman Division B opted out of the race and urged all his supporters to rally behind Mbwatekamwa. Lubwama’s decision to opt out of the race came after he realized that he wouldn’t go through in the primaries.
On the other hand Mbwatekamwa capitalized on Mivule’s late entry into the race to trounce him with a big margin. While Mivule joined the race less than a month ago, Mbwatekamwa launched his secret campaigns two years ago and he has been actively traversing the municipality and marketing his candidature. Mbwatekamwa’s chances to be party flag bearer in the parliamentary race were also bolstered after his arch-rival and opponent Walusimbi Abubaker a former KLM Cargo Airline official was technically knocked out of the race. In a past interview with entebbenews Maggwa Ssali the DP Spokesman in Entebbe revealed that Walusimbi was not eligible to run for the parliamentary post because he hadn’t been active in the party unlike Mbwatekamwa who has stood with DP through thick and thin and has held elective posts in the party including youth councilor, at Makerere he was active in the Uganda Youth Democrats (UYD) where he also served as speaker for UYD and later minister for interior. He also actively participated in the 1996 general elections campaigning for Paul Ssemogerere in the 1996 elections.
According to the Democratic Party Constitution for one to stand as Member of Parliament they must have been active in the party for at least five years, a qualification that Walusimbi didn’t meet. He has since started a faction ‘The Real Democrats’ and also joined Elias Lukwago’s rival faction Platform For Truth and Justice (PTJ) and according to credible sources he’ll run as an independent candidate.
Mayor Kayanja Factor.
Mbwatekamwa’s role as Mayor Kayanja’s Political assistant also gave him leverage over his opponents. Because Kayanja has set an impeccable record as Mayor in his first term, this created a sympathy vote for Mbwatekamwa among the Electoral College voters.
However some of Mbwatekamwa’s critics in the Democratic Party describe him as a cheeky, playful and an arrogant man who lacks leadership qualities. “He needs to change his way of behavior if he hopes to serve the people of Entebbe in Parliament in 2016” one of Mbwatekamwa’s critics said.
Shortly after winning the hotly contested race Mbwatekamwa bragged to entebbenews
“I believe I’m smart and know how to play my cards well. Politics is funny and dynamic so I’ve been careful and strategizing for the last 10 years. I was a nervous about the primaries but I can relax now and begin strategizing for the 2016 polls” he said.
Mayor Kayanja Sails Through Unopposed.
In just his first term in office, Mayor Kayanja Vincent DePaul has set an impeccable record and proved his critics wrong who had predicted that with the departure of the Stephen Kabuye administration in 2011, Kayanja’s administration wouldn’t achieve much and would fail miserably. His critics reasoned that because he was a ‘pauper’, he and his fellow DP colleagues at the Municipal council would use their offices to enrich themselves and amass wealth. To their surprise he has put right what the Kabuye administration failed to achieve and given Entebbe Municipality a new face.
For instance the town is much cleaner because garbage collection has been improved, his administration enforced financial discipline and fixed all loopholes that the previous administration was exploiting to swindle resources, a system of banking was introduced and all the money had to be banked, tax payers now pay to the bank, no council worker or official handles cash. Council employees were in arrears of over 7 months when his administration took office but now council is always up to date.
His administration enhanced service delivery, municipal council vehicles which were grounded by the time his administration took office have been repaired. 2kms of roads have been tarmaced, process of installing street lights is underway. Other sector achievements have been scored in health, education and service delivery. And as a result Entebbe Municipality was recognized by the Vision Group in 2011 as the cleanest Municipality in the country. Entebbe Municipality was also recognized in areas of service delivery and accountability by the local government ministry and the Public Procurement and Disposal of Public Assets Authority (PPDA).
Perhaps Kayanja’s character plays a great role in his leadership and management style. A devout catholic and a former seminarian, he espouses Christian beliefs and lives an exemplary lifestyle. And it is for this reason that he was elected as head of laity for all catholic churches in Entebbe Municipality. His leadership is about team work and collective effort regardless of party affiliation. It is also for this reason that he has won so many admirers from all parties including some from the ruling National Resistance Movement (NRM) who have vowed to give him their vote in the 2016 polls.
Kayanja is also the Deputy Wakiso District Democratic Party chairman; he was recently elected to the post unopposed during the Wakiso delegates retreat that was held in Namasuba.
Shortly after sailing through unopposed, Kayanja spoke to entebbenews;
“I believe I’m a seasoned leader, I’m lucky that I’ve heard a perfect team that has performed excellently well at the Municipal Council. I’m humble and I respect people of diverse backgrounds, this has given me an edge in leadership in Entebbe. And with the anointing of God and his blessings upon me we have managed to achieve some of our targets as Municipal council in the past five years” Kayanja said.
Other leaders who sailed through unopposed were Current LCIII Chairman Division A David Kasule Wasswa, Francis Makumbi (LCV Councilor Division A) and LCV Women councilor Viola Nampijja.
For a man who lost twice to Stephen Kabuye in 2001 and 2006 and only beat him in 2011 and with his impeccable record in his first term. Kayanja is a shining star and a true genius of leadership.
Maggwa Ssali Finally Wins Wakiso Division B LCV Flag bearer Seat.
When he lost out to Sadik Mukasa in the Party Primaries in 2010 on the post Wakiso LCV Division B, Maggwa Ssali quietly went back to the drawing board re-organized his forces and for the last five years he has been quietly traversing the constituency marketing his candidature which has finally paid off. He garnered 12 votes to beat his opponent Simon Kimanye the Deputy Mayor Entebbe Municipality who only managed to get 11 votes. Kimanye only joined the race a few months ago and wasn’t active on the ground.
Biggest Shocker Of The Day:
Perhaps the biggest shock in the primaries was LCIII Division B Chairman Eng. Anthony Segujja’s loss to Stanley Namayirira a cargo clearing agent at Entebbe Airport. Namayirira got 12 votes to beat incumbent Segujja who only got 11 votes in the tight race. Namayirira’s sweet victory was assured after he managed to win the hearts of the Division B Councilors who constitute the Electoral College Vote.
The party primaries were conducted by Cyrus Kasatto the Democratic Party Organising Secretary Wakiso District and Zziwa Lwanga the Democratic Party Chairman Wakiso District on Saturday at the Entebbe Mayor’s Garden.
