FDC puts NRM to the sword in Sironko

The Forum for Democratic Change (FDC) has given NRM a bloody nose in the just concluded parliamentary and local council elections in Sironko district, taking the lion share of the political offices.

The two parliamentary and district chairperson seats went to FDC while the woman MP slot went to Florence Nambozo, an independent and incumbent.

In Budadiri East,  FDC's Isiah Sasaga defeated Vincent Waboya of the NRM while in Budadiri West, FDC secretary general Nathan Nandala Mafabi trounced his long time rival Wambaka Kosea of the NRM.

For the district chairperson slot, FDC’s David Livingstone Giruli put the incumbent, NRM's Herbert Mulekwa to the sword.

Giruli had contested against Mafabi for Budadiri West MP seat in 2001 and 2006 on NRM ticket. He later converted to FDC.

FDC's sweeping victory in Sironko is a replica of its performance in 2011 when the party won all the parliamentary seats, the district chairperson slot and the majority seats in the district council.

NRM Sironko chairperson Mafabi Sulaiman Lumolo attributed NRM's defeat in the district to a number of factors, including a strong opposition.

"We have a strong opposition in the district led by Forum for Democratic Change secretary general Nathan Nandala Mafabi who also doubles as chairperson Bugisu Cooperative Union," said Lumolo, whose daughter Aisha Nabulo, lost to Nambozo.

"Nandala infiltrated our people toward the end of the campaign with a wrong message and using a lot of money."

Lumolo said the stroke that broke the camel’s back was the last minute alliance between FDC’s Mafabi and the incumbent woman MP Florence Nambozo who had lost in the disputed NRM primaries.

After realising that the FDC candidate Femia Wadada was not doing well on ground, Nandala reportedly struck a deal with Nambozo an independent (NRM leaning) to neutralise NRM in the district.

Accordingly, Nandala would help Nambozo to deflate her NRM rival Asha Nabulo in the Budadiri West (where both Nabulo and Nandala come from) while Nambozo would in return backs FDC’s Giruli David Livingstone for district chairperson in the East where Nambozo hails from.

It is reported that Nandala played a big role in protecting Nambozo's votes right at the polling stations to the tally center.

The loose alliance was a big force for the yellow camp to contend with.

In Budadiri East where FDC's Sasaga took the day, his work was made easier by the divisions in NRM.

Here, all the losers in the NRM primaries returned as independents, thus dividing the NRM vote.

A local political analyst, James Wadada, said it speaks volumes that FDC won in the home sub county of the incumbent chairperson Hebert Mulekwa (NRM).

However at the presidential level, Museveni garnered 54% in the district which is a big improvement from the 49% he scored in 2016.