SECRETS BEHIND VICTORIOUS RETURN OF JIM MUHWEZI AS RUJUMBURA MP UNVEILED

By Ambrose Kweronda
www.mknewslink.com
In Rukungiri—
The behind-the-scenes grassroots campaign operations that saw retired Major General Jim Muhwezi return to Parliament have been unveiled.

Muhwezi won in all the seven sub-counties of Rujumbura – Nyakagyeme, Bugangari, Bwambara, Ruhinda, Buhunga, Bikurungu Town Council and Rwerere Town Council to defeat the incumbent, Fred Turyamuhweza.

Muhwezi walked home with 23,990 votes against Turyamuhweza’s 20,556 in what was seen as a big blow to the FDC lawmaker.

In the race, independent Grace Muhoozi Mugisha got 2,149 votes while Alliance for National Transformation-ANT candidate Sylivin Gumisiriza got only 230 votes.

Rukungiri has for long been an opposition stronghold. Museveni’s top challengers, Dr Kizza Besigye and Rtd Lt Gen Henry Tumukunde hail from Rukungiri.

Returning Muhwezi to Parliament required a concerted effort by his close associates, family and business friends.

www.mknewslink.com has learnt that one of the top campaigners and supporters of Muhwezi was Ponsiano Ngabirano – the wealthy proprietor of Capital Shoppers supermarkets in Kampala.

Ngabirano actively mobilized resources and campaigned for Muhwezi, helping the retired general overcome FDC in the area.

Muhwezi also had other teams including M7 Volunteers led by Fred Kabwira, Team Jim by General Jim Muhwezi, Team Foot Soldiers by Canon Susan Muhwezi, Team Kampala, Team Kaharata, Team Rutahirwa and Team Kibuuka by Ambrose Kibuuka among others.

For example Kibuuka, a businessman, received substantial resources from Muhwezi to lead campaigns in the latter’s home parish of Nyarubare where the former Minister won.

The likes of Kibuuka operated in their remote areas while bigger teams mobilised the bigger sub-counties.

A case in point is Nyakagyeme where Muhwezi won with over 5,000 votes and Bugangari where the former minister trounced Turyamuhweza with a margin of over 2,000 votes.

“Rukungiri people residing in urban centres and cities; Kampala, Entebbe, Jinja, Mbarara among others integrated to mobilize for NRM,” recalls Dan Karyaija, a mobiliser of Muhwezi.

“It all started with the youth in Kampala hailing from Rujumbura who urged Gen. Jim Muhwezi to go back to parliament, promising to support him in mobilizing their mates. Most of them voluntarily committed their time and resources throughout the campaigns,” he added.

Elders who spoke to www.mknewslink.com said Muhwezi’s intense grassroots campaigns helped NRM MP Candidates win in all areas apart from Rubabo Constituency.

“There is no doubt that Muhwezi worked day and night to defeat opposition in Rukungiri,” recalled Eldard Mwiine.

“He visited all villages more than twice looking for votes,” he observed.

For example, Muhwezi spent more of his campaign time in Bwambara, a fishing village, which Turyamuhweza had turned into his stronghold.

Muhwezi defeated Turyamuhweza in this critical area by promising to address the challenges of fishermen such as human rights abuses by UPDF among others.

In the 2016 elections, President Museveni got 48% of the total votes in Rukungiri, losing to Dr Besigye. However, in the 2021 polls, Museveni took Rukungiri with 71.4 percent.

Museveni had planned to fly to Rukungiri for campaigns but Muhwezi insisted that he drives through the town.

Large crowds were mobilised by Muhwezi’s team to meet Museveni at Kahengye as his convoy entered Rukungiri from Ntungamo district.

In Rubabo, a traditional stronghold of NRM, Paula Turyahikayo was defeated by Naboth Namanya, an FDC-leaning candidate.

Residents accused Paula of sectarianism and supporting FDC’s Betty Muzanira against Winnie Matsiko in the 2018 by-election.

During the hotly-contested 2018 by-election, Museveni called Paula to address a large gathering at Nyakagyeme but Paula refused to publicly urge constituents to vote Matsiko.

This left many NRM mobilisers seething with anger. It was not surprising that Paula would eventually lose the Rubabo seat in the 2021 elections.

President Museveni scored 58% in Rubabo yet Paula lost the constituency race.

Muhwezi’s supporters say unlike several NRA historicals such as Besigye, Tumukunde among others, the former Information Minister remained loyal to the ruling party.

Turyamuhweza has since gone to court to challenge Muhwezi’s election.

Turyamuhweza accuses Muhwezi of working with security officials in the district to intimidate and chase away his agents and supporters from polling stations on polling day.

However, Muhwezi insisted he genuinely won the election after Turyamuhweza failed to fulfill his promises.

Muhwezi argued that he used grassroots mobilization to woo support which gave him victory adding that Turyamuhweza failed to do the same.

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