President Museveni and his blue – eyed boy and Bulamogi County Legislator Sanon Bwiire Nadeeba are still a hot cake and big threat to opponents if the yellow Saturday mammoth crowds are anything to go by.
People walked from across the constituency painting Bulumba Town Council Yellow with Museveni,Anita Among and Bwiire’s pictures to settle at the venue in the newest of Kaliro’s town councils.
Over 50 members of Parliament from across the country thronged Bulumba Ginnery grounds on Saturday, March 31,2023 to take part in the much-publicized community projects fundraising that was expected to be presided over by the Speaker of Parliament Anita Among Magogo.
The function started early morning with fanfare by hundred of youths who for long and during campaign period identified with Sanon Bwiire as their own. Bwiire had represented the youths at the Kaliro District Council for 10 years.
The jolly – talking legislator had been rumored to be under threat in recent times after he disagreed with the district’s political head on his method of work and plans by an area business mogul to oust him. It was much thought and circulated therefore that his function would be a public shame with opponents’ counter – mobilizing to frustrate it.
But when several Mps begun arriving after 10am and were received by thousands of enthusiastic crowds the anticipation begun changing and by 5pm the crowd had surged to close to 40,000 people as security struggled to contain crowds in vain.
MPs from the ruling NRM flanked by their NUP and FDC counterparts turned the function into a campaign ground for President Yoweri Museveni,his son Muhoozi Kainerugaba and Bwiire himself. Artists turned the crown into frenzy as MP after MP contributed millions of shillings to realize the Ugx 124m raised at the end.
Speaker Anita Annet Among who later delegated Sports State Minister Peter Ogwang contributed Ugx 30m cash for the projects that include Bulumba Town Council Health Centre IV and 6 selected schools across the Constituency.
Busoga Parliamentary Caucus boss Iddi Isabirye and Parliamentary Commissioner Solomony Silwany were the days MCs after realizing that no body below an MP would manage the crowds at which one person nearly died in the stampede that resulted from money thrown at the crowd by Butembe County MP David Livingstone Zijjan who campaigned for General Muhoozi Kainerugaba as did David Kabanda.
FDC’s Dr.Frank Nabwiiso attended the function for the Zibondo HRH Edward Colombus Wambuzi and donated a book to the Speaker with a special written message to Speaker Anita Annet Among.
Ogwang later told the people that government was determined to improve their livelihood through income generating projects and said this was the hallmark of the Parish Development model. He said President Yoweri Museveni strongly believed in the youths and was the brain behind Sanon Bwiire and other youghful MPs’ growth to national service.
Sanon Bwiire Nadeeba is a first time MP much remembered for his open campaign for the late Jacob Oulanyah against Rebecca Alitwala Kadaga. He is known for his determination and dedication on his missions that is sometimes referred to as shrewd.
Bwiire also known by many as Museveni’s blue-eyed boy boldly asked the people to support the NRM and President Yoweri Museveni saying he was sure the President will deliver to transform Bulamogi.
The MP’s mobilization tactics are a threat to opposition support and if copied could keep the NRM strong in Kaliro,one of the only 3 districts that Mr.Museveni won in 2021.NUP’s Robert Kyagulanyi won in the remaining 8 districts of Busoga.
Will he maintain his popularity rating until 2026 in a political terrain that is getting highly commercial and polarized by public dissatisfaction with government’s delivery of services and endemic corruption? Watch the space.
