SV: {UAH} Allan/Pojim/WBK: Tribal politics takes centre stage as battle for Tororo Municipality - National

Hallå bro GOOK,

What happened to the Tororo seat, you just let go like that?

Noc'la g

 

"WE FORM THE CULTURE THAT FORMS US"….noc'la gaumoy.

Den torsdag, 28 januari 2016 17:01 skrev 'Owor Kipenji' via Ugandans at Heart (UAH) Community <ugandans-at-heart@googlegroups.com>:

Jal Ocen:

You now read what I have been telling you? Tororo Municipality will be represented by NRM

in the next parliament as before.

I will not go into the polemics of the tribalization of it's' politics because it is much deeper than

it is reported here.

Even the clamor for Mukujju aka Kwapa district goes way back to how the LCV chairman for

the then Tororo District should be elected.

After Pallisa annd Busia was excised from the district,the first LCV Chairman happens to have been

a one Mr Okama from Kwapa area.

When academic qualifications were smuggled in as a prerequisite for being LCV Chairman,Okama

lost out on that technicality.

From thence on residents of Mukujju county are always bickering about marginalization and hence

their desire for "their own" district which would tantamount to having a district of only 2 sub counties 

because that is where they enjoy a razor thin majority over the Japs.

Their quest is being remote controlled by some past religious leaders among others.

What the vibes from the vineyard says is that there might end up having 3 districts from the what

is presently Tororo District with the Municipality being one of them.

Kipenji

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From: "ocennekyon@gmail.com" <ocennekyon@gmail.com>
To: Ugandans At Heart <ugandans-at-heart@googlegroups.com>
Sent: Thursday, 28 January 2016, 10:06
Subject: {UAH} Allan/Pojim/WBK: Tribal politics takes centre stage as battle for Tororo Municipality - National

http://www.monitor.co.ug/News/National/Tribal-politics-takes-centre-stage-as-battle-for-Tororo-/-/688334/3051752/-/sp2hkxz/-/index.html

Tribal politics takes centre stage as battle for Tororo Municipality

Mr Apollo Yeri Ofwono (draped in an NRM flag) with supporters after he was crowned NRM flag bearer for the Tororo Municipality parliamentary seat. Photo by Joseph Okapesi 

Tororo- The race for the Tororo Municipality parliamentary seat in next month's elections is set to be a tough one with the incumbent, Mr Sanjay Tanna, working to keep off seven candidates vying for the seat.

Mr Tanna, who has represented the municipality since 2006, is seeking a third term on an Independent ticket after he opted out of NRM primaries, citing irregularities.

Others in the race are Mr Apollo Ofwono Yeri (NRM), Mr Charles Oradu (Go-Forward), Mr Moses Owor Kibang (FDC), Dr Priscilla Nyadoi (Independent), Mr Robert Omaidu Etatai (UPC), Mr Cirus Wanyama, Mr Asuman Odaka and Mr Olowo Kaikade, all Independents.

However, observers say the actual battle is between Mr Tana and Mr Yeri, the NRM flag bearer.

Mr Ofwono, who is also the NRM chairperson for Tororo Municipality, is said to have learnt from his past mistakes when he lost to Mr Tana in 2006 and 2011.

In the 2011 elections, Mr Tanna garnered 7,182 votes while Yeri garnered 5,948 votes.
Observers say since 2011, Mr Ofwono has been at the grassroot where he has started several community programmes that have benefitted many youth and women groups, endearing him to supporters.

As a result, Mr Ofwono won the NRM primaries, beating his rival, Mr Tefro Brian Ochieng.
He is also said to have gained ground going by the big crowds at his rallies.

Tanna's achievements
Mr Tana is a man with a strong reputation in the area. In 2014, Daily Monitor visited Tororo Municipality and talked to several people to understand what this Ugandan of Asian origin that they have twice voted meant to them.
"That is one MP who serves his people's interests with one heart. Can you imagine people from other constituencies in Tororo cross to the municipality to get help from him? I don't vote but let us give credit where it is due," said a guard at Barclays Bank, Tororo branch.

He added: "The man is not an indigenous Ugandan but mingles with us freely and helps us like his relatives. He is a great man."

One of the projects they say he has accomplished is connecting electricity to areas of the municipality that power distribution company Umeme was hesitant to connect, given the supposedly low power connectivity expected.

Mr Tana also says he has helped start several infrastructural projects that have benefitted his constituents.

"Within 10 years in Parliament, I have extended support to women and youth groups, a case in point, is the recent grinding mills I handed over to every parish in Tororo Municipality,'' he says.

However, many analysts conversant with politics in Tororo say the battle for the municipality seat is pegged largely on tribal differences.

Tribal politics cited
The political animosity between Mr Tanna and Mr Ofwono dates back to 2006 when the idea of splitting Tororo District into two was hatched.

The district comprises mainly the Iteso and Jopadhola, with Mr Tanna and Mr Ofwono favoured by the two ethnic groups respectively.

The Iteso argued that West Budama should form part of the new Tororo District, while the Jopadhola wanted Tororo County to be part of the new district.

The Iteso then identified Mr Tanna as the ideal candidate to defeat Mr Ofwono in the 2006 elections to save them from what they termed as marginalisation by the Jopadhola.

Mr Tanna was then overwhelmingly elected as a unifying factor by both the Iteso and Jopadhola.
His presence in Parliament, according to analysts, helped reduce tension between the two tribes.

It's for this reason that the Tororo County Elders Forum chaired by Ambassador Paul Orono Etiang has stuck with Mr Tanna and have been telling their members, who form a sizeable number of voters in the municipality, to vote the incumbent. The MP also enjoys the support of Bantu and other non-indigenous tribes in the area.

However, the Jopadhola have since united with Iteso against Mr Tanna, accusing him of marginalising them.

Mr Owere Owaga, the LC2 chairperson of Amagoro parish in Eastern Division, Tororo Municipality, says he does not see the reason as to why Mr Tana should retain the seat.

"Power sharing is the solution to the high tension in Tororo Municipality. I don't support a person who continues to confuse people that he is a uniting factor while he has done more harm than good to the people of Tororo Municipality," says Mr Owaga.

Unfulfilled pledges
He says the incumbent has also failed to fulfil pledges he made over the last 10 years.

However, Mr Tanna says he has undertaken several developments in and outside his constituency that are aimed at uniting his people.

He says he has connected electricity to areas such as Mudakor, Kyaminula and Juba, improved on road networks, constructed and repaired several bore holes and spring wells in various parts of the municipality.

Mr Tanna is also accused of influencing the allocation of the various tenders in the municipality, allegations he denies, saying the process is implemented through the contracts' committees at the district and municipal council level.

On the otherhand, Mr Ofwono says his return to the race was prompted by public demand having realised that most of the programmes he had initiated during his term of office had stalled.

"I had set up a base for Tororo Municipality that I thought my successor would have taken over but to my surprise, he has not considered any of them. So I don't blame voters for any action they will take against the incumbent in the elections,'' Mr Ofwono says.

Residents speak out
Ms Josephine Akech, a business woman in Tororo Market, says Mr Ofwono and Mr Tana are tested leaders.

However, she says she fell out with the incumbent's camp because it is hard to reach him "especially for us who are the Jopadhola whom the incumbent has described as vulnerable tribe unlike Ofwono and this has made us to unite with our brothers, the Itesots".

"Ofwono's generosity can be traced as far back to his family that helped several people through individual contributions and linking them to employment opportunities,'' Ms Akech says.

Mr Paul Faustine Orach, on the otherhand, insists that Mr Tanna is the only leader who will promote unity in Tororo Municipality given his neutrality.

"In this century, we need leaders who will bring development irrespective of their tribal or racial identity. Therefore, claiming that Tororo needs to be represented by the indigenous tribe is a sign of backwardness,'' Mr Orach says.

Impact of NRM primaries
Like in most parts of the country, the October NRM primaries in Tororo Municipality left most party supporters disgruntled and some have since vowed to support Opposition candidates.

The dilemma NRM faces now is avoiding a split of its vote which could hand victory to the FDC candidate.

The campaigns have also been monetised, meaning that any candidate without financial muscle may not get elected.

There are also fears that the elections may turn violent following cases of tearing up of rival candidates' posters. Each of the candidates has deployed security to guard their posters.

Some rival supporters are also threatening violence with words such as Wangini mee mac tye, a Jopadhola phrase translated as "this time around, you will see fire".

Of recent, Mr Tana has opted to hold closed-door campaigns following reports that most of his supporters are facing intimidation whenever they attend rallies.

However, Hajj Rashid Wafula, Mr Ofwono's campaign agent, dismissed allegations that their supporters intimidate those of Mr Tana.

Hajj Wafule says in many areas, the incumbent has organised rallies and failed to attract crowds because voters are fed up of his lies.
According to other commentators, both sides have winning teams but each one of them seems to lack authority over their campaign managers, leaving them to take decisions on their candidates' behalf and are not in touch with reality on the ground.

While the other candidates in the race have also vowed to give the duo a good run for their money, majority are not only inexperienced politically but they are also cash-strapped with most of them moving on foot and on boda boda as they canvass for votes. And in country where politics is commercialised, they stand little chance. This leaves Mr Ofwono and Mr Tanna, both businessmen, as the dominant candidates.

Other candidates in the race

Other candidates in the race have also vowed to give the duo a good run for their money.

Mr Robert Omaidu, a UPC candidate, says if elected, he will restore sanity in Tororo municipality and fight tribal conflicts.
He says the municipality needs development and not tribal conflicts.

‎''We know that they have money but if they are genuine leaders, why are they dishing it out which means they are not confident of their candidature,'' Mr Omaidu says.

Dr Priscilla Nyadoi, an Independent candidate, says she will fight for equal opportunities for all the people of Tororo Municipality. "If I had a mandate, I would cancel all their candidature for they seem bent on promoting tribalism,'' she says.

She says she will ensure that health centres are stocked with drugs.

Mr Charles Oradu, the Go Forward candidate, says he is the only capable person who can transform Tororo Municipality.

''My leadership will put more focus on bridging the leadership gap that exists within Tororo municipality and above all, restore unity and co-existence,'' he says.

He also says he will help fight corruption and lead the town to economic transformation. "I am confident that I will win the race with a big margin," he says.

Mr Cirus Wanyama condemns act of giving handouts to voters, saying this promotes laziness among the residents.

He says his focus, if elected, is to promote self-reliance among voters through empowering them with income generating activities.

Mr Moses Kibang, the FDC candidate, promises to deal with key issues affecting society he identifies as economic stagnation, unemployment, protection of natural resources and defending the business community.

Mr Asuman Odaka, an Independent, says none of the two major candidates has an agenda for Tororo Municipality and should be voted out. He says his focus will be effective service delivery, infrastructure improvement, consistence lobbying based on the demands of his people after consultations.

editorial@ug.nationmedia.com

Tribal politics takes centre stage as battle for Tororo Municipality - National

http://www.monitor.co.ug/News/National/Tribal-politics-takes-centre-stage-as-battle-for-Tororo-/-/688334/3051752/-/sp2hkxz/-/index.html

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Sent from my BlackBerry 10 smartphone.

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