• Latest
  • Trending
  • All
  • News
  • Business
  • Politics
  • Lifestyle
Besigye’s political mobilisation triumphs over Museveni’s money in Rukungiri

Besigye’s political mobilisation triumphs over Museveni’s money in Rukungiri

June 1, 2018
Big Interview: “Government needs to review tax regime to rescue hotel industry”

Big Interview: “Government needs to review tax regime to rescue hotel industry”

May 20, 2022
UBOS staff sacco grows savings to shs4.3bn

UBOS staff sacco grows savings to shs4.3bn

May 20, 2022
Stanbic Bank contributes Shs 150m towards Makerere At 100 celebrations

Stanbic Bank contributes Shs 150m towards Makerere At 100 celebrations

May 20, 2022

Hoima: Science teachers given ultimatum to return to class

May 20, 2022
Be policemen of a mind with conviction – Museveni tells CID trainees

Be policemen of a mind with conviction – Museveni tells CID trainees

May 20, 2022
Museveni hosts Raila Odinga

Museveni hosts Raila Odinga

May 20, 2022
UDB, EU earmark shs1bn grants and loans to help tourism sector back on its feet

UDB, EU earmark shs1bn grants and loans to help tourism sector back on its feet

May 20, 2022
Beti Kamya “happy” that FDC is in turmoil, says party has tasted its bitter medicine

IGG Beti Kamya said to be unwell

May 19, 2022
“I had a blood clot in one of my lungs but I am now okay,” Nandutu says

“I had a blood clot in one of my lungs but I am now okay,” Nandutu says

May 19, 2022
Bobi Wine to Gen Muhoozi: “You will end up like Gaddafi’s son”

Bobi Wine to Muhoozi: “I am not your brother”

May 19, 2022
Logo
  • News
    • Business
    • 2021 Elections Watch
      • The Election Podcast
    • Exclusive
    • Investigations
  • Politics
  • Education
  • Security
    • Cyber Security
  • Health
    • Coronavirus outbreak
  • Opinions
    • Columns
      • Parting Shot
      • Two Sides of a Coin
      • Bazanye’s Quick Shots
      • Mable Twegumye Zake’s #BitsOfMe&You
      • But this Year!
      • What Did I Miss?
  • Lifestyle
    • Hatmahz Kitchen
    • Food Hub
    • Let’s Talk About Sex
    • Entertainment
    • Tour & Travel
    • Love Therapist
    • Homes
  • Global
    • Africa
    • Asia
    • Middle East
    • Europe
    • The Americas
  • East Africa
    • Kenya
    • Rwanda
    • Tanzania
    • South Sudan
    • DR Congo
    • Ethiopia
    • Sudan
  • Technology
  • Special Reports
    • Kabaka Mutebi’s 25th Coronation Series
    • Focus on Somalia
    • Sino-Africa
    • Uganda at 56
    • Anti-Corruption Fight
    • Age Limit Map
    • Tuve Ku Kaveera
  • Sports
    • Place-It
    • StarTimes Uganda Premier League
    • Bundesliga
    • World Cup
  • Jobs
No Result
View All Result
Logo
No Result
View All Result
Home News Featured

Besigye’s political mobilisation triumphs over Museveni’s money in Rukungiri

Edris Kiggundu by Edris Kiggundu
in Featured, Opinions
Reading Time: 2 mins read
0
Besigye’s political mobilisation triumphs over Museveni’s money in Rukungiri

For all its other dynamics, any keen political observer would have noted that the Rukungiri by-election was an extension of the political duel between Dr Kizza Besigye and President Museveni.

These two have been going at each for the last 18 years.

ADVERTISEMENT

Museveni has defeated Besigye in most of the duels and more importantly the presidency four times.

Generally, Museveni had also maintained strong support in parts of western Uganda with a few scattered wins for FDC and Besigye.

ADVERTISEMENT

Yet with each election cycle, Besigye and FDC have been gaining ground in western Uganda.

In 2006 for instance, Besigye swept Kasese district and gained a strong foothold in Kabale municipality where an FDC mayor was elected.

In 2011, FDC suffered a set back after NRM reclaimed victory in Kasese, after Museveni had returned the Obusinga, which had been a thorny issue. However, there was a positive.

FDC’s Roland Kaginda took the newly created Rukungiri municipality and a couple of years, later Jack Sabiiti won a by-election Rukiga county and Odo Tayebwa won a by-election in Bushenyi-Ishaka Municipality.

These were the tell-tale signs that the political tide was starting to change in western Uganda.

For long Rukungiri had been a blot on Besigye’s political record. In three elections (2001, 2006 and 2011), Besigye had not defeated Museveni in the district where he hails from.

He would only register victories in the areas surrounding the municipality including his home area, Rwakabengo.

But starting 2016, the political terrain changed. Besigye took the district and won two out of four electoral seats in Rukungiri (Rujumbura and Rukungiri Municipality).

FDC also swept Kasese clean.

So looked at in this context, the Rukungiri woman MP by election provided Besigye and FDC a chance to fortify themselves in Rukungiri.  Besigye literally camped in the district from day one of the campaigns, knowing that his political reputation and claims that he is a behemoth precariously hang on a thread.

Conversely, it also provided Museveni a platform to show Besigye that he is still king even in his backyard.

It is not a coincidence that weeks before the campaigns kicked off, Museveni showed up in the Rukungiri in a generous mood. He donated equipment and other tools to women and youth groups to a tune of Shs 5 billion.

This was the biggest donation spree from the president in recent memory.

On the surface, one could say the president genuinely wanted to uplift the people of the district and fight poverty in Rukungiri but poverty indices show otherwise.

A study done last year by the Frederick S. Pardee Center for International Futures, Josef Korbel School of International Studies and University of Denver on poverty in Uganda ranked Kagadi as the poorest district in Uganda. Rukungiri was ranked among the districts with a steady improvement in the standard of living of the people.

So in reality, Museveni’s generosity in Rukungiri was aimed at trying to woo voters into ditching the opposition for NRM, where there are “good things.”

From the evidence of the results of the by-election, the voters took the goodies but voted the other way.

In the end, Besigye’s political mobilisation triumphed over NRM’s money.

The author is Editor of The Nile Post. The views expressed here are his own and not those of Nile Post.

Tags: Besigye kizzaMuseveniRukungiri
ShareTweetSend
Previous Post

Burkina Faso Abolishes Death Penalty

Next Post

I missed it…what did the IGP say? stone police officers or what?

Edris Kiggundu

Edris Kiggundu

Related Posts

Museveni hosts Raila Odinga

Museveni hosts Raila Odinga

by Kenneth Kazibwe
May 20, 2022
0

President Museveni has hosted Kenyan presidential candidate in the forthcoming election, Raila Odinga who paid him a courtesy call at...

Bobi Wine to Gen Muhoozi: “You will end up like Gaddafi’s son”

Bobi Wine to Muhoozi: “I am not your brother”

by Muhamadi Matovu
May 19, 2022
0

The leader of the National Unity Platform(NUP) Robert Kyagulanyi alias Bobi Wine, has lashed out at the commander of Land...

IN BAD TASTE: Parliament terminates controversial coffee deal

IN BAD TASTE: Parliament terminates controversial coffee deal

by Kenneth Kazibwe
May 19, 2022
0

Parliament has dismissed the controversial coffee agreement signed between the government and Uganda Vinci Coffee Company Limited (UVCC) earlier this...

Theft, domestic violence top 2021 police annual crime report again

Theft, domestic violence top 2021 police annual crime report again

by Kenneth Kazibwe
May 18, 2022
0

Thefts, common assaults and domestic violence have once again topped police’s annual crime report for the year 2021. According to...

Next Post
IGP Ochola: “We shall close Nalufenya soon”

I missed it...what did the IGP say? stone police officers or what?

  • Trending
  • Comments
  • Latest
Chameleone, Weasel kiss on stage again

Chameleone, Weasel kiss on stage again

May 17, 2022
Muhoozi’s birthday parties don’t mean I want him to be president, says Museveni

Muhoozi’s birthday parties don’t mean I want him to be president, says Museveni

May 16, 2022
Sejusa, Kato Lubwama cases on the card as Court of Appeal handles 59 matters in three weeks

Sejusa, Tumwine on the list as UPDF retires 34 generals on Monday

May 16, 2022
Big Interview: “Government needs to review tax regime to rescue hotel industry”

Big Interview: “Government needs to review tax regime to rescue hotel industry”

May 20, 2022
UBOS staff sacco grows savings to shs4.3bn

UBOS staff sacco grows savings to shs4.3bn

May 20, 2022
Stanbic Bank contributes Shs 150m towards Makerere At 100 celebrations

Stanbic Bank contributes Shs 150m towards Makerere At 100 celebrations

May 20, 2022
  • About
  • Advertise
  • Privacy & Policy
  • Careers
Call us: +256-417-720-101
Email: [email protected]

© 2020 Nile Post Uganda Ltd. - A Next Media Services Company.

No Result
View All Result
  • News
    • Business
    • 2021 Elections Watch
      • The Election Podcast
    • Exclusive
    • Investigations
  • Politics
  • Education
  • Security
    • Cyber Security
  • Health
    • Coronavirus outbreak
  • Opinions
    • Columns
      • Parting Shot
      • Two Sides of a Coin
      • Bazanye’s Quick Shots
      • Mable Twegumye Zake’s #BitsOfMe&You
      • But this Year!
      • What Did I Miss?
  • Lifestyle
    • Hatmahz Kitchen
    • Food Hub
    • Let’s Talk About Sex
    • Entertainment
    • Tour & Travel
    • Love Therapist
    • Homes
  • Global
    • Africa
    • Asia
    • Middle East
    • Europe
    • The Americas
  • East Africa
    • Kenya
    • Rwanda
    • Tanzania
    • South Sudan
    • DR Congo
    • Ethiopia
    • Sudan
  • Technology
  • Special Reports
    • Kabaka Mutebi’s 25th Coronation Series
    • Focus on Somalia
    • Sino-Africa
    • Uganda at 56
    • Anti-Corruption Fight
    • Age Limit Map
    • Tuve Ku Kaveera
  • Sports
    • Place-It
    • StarTimes Uganda Premier League
    • Bundesliga
    • World Cup
  • Jobs

© 2020 Nile Post Uganda Ltd. - A Next Media Services Company.