BUSHENYI VOTERS APPROVE CAMPAIGN FINANCING BILL
BY WILBER MUHWEZI
IN BUSHENYI—
Leaders and citizens from Bushenyi district Tuesday approved a proposed bill that is aimed at stopping use of huge sums of money in political campaigns in a process of electing political leaders into office.
The approval was made Tuesday Nov. 29, 2016 at Katungu mothers’ union hall in Bushenyi town.
The proposed private members bill is expected to be presented on the floor of Uganda’s parliament soon according to the national coordinator of Alliance for election campaign finance monitoring, Mr. Henry Muguzi.
During a half day meeting held at Katungu mothers’ union hall in Bushenyi town, parliamentary and local leaders noted that it was appropriate to have the law.
Umar Muhanguzi, a former parliamentary candidate for Igara West constituency in Bushenyi district and district NRM secretary general, revealed that the bill should also include a provision of punishing political king makers who dish into campaigns a lot of money on behalf of some candidates.
Paul Turyamureeba Kahiigi, the former candidate for Bushenyi district chairmanship who is currently in the court of appeal tussling it out with Jafari Basajabalaba noted that its NRM party leaders that are monitorizing elections.
He gave an example of FDC presidential candidate Col Dr. Kizza Besigye campaign rally in Bushenyi district in 2016 elections, as a party district chairman was given 500,000= and was enough whereas when president Museveni campaigned in Bushenyi district, he spent 60 million excluding contributions from well wishers.Odo Tayebwa the loser in Bushenyi-Ishaka municipality parliamentary seat told the meeting in order one to win a parliamentary seat, he/she needs one billion Uganda shillings and the total emoluments from parliament five years is the same amount.
He noted that what happens is that MPS who spent heavily resort to demanding bribes from permanent secretaries and chief administrative officers and any other accounting officers to survive and promise them friendly reports.
The half day dialogue was organized by western Ankole civil society forum [WACSOF] operating in Ankole with support from Alliance for election campaign finance monitoring [ACFIM]