If his request meets the sympathy of his party leadership in Jinja, former Kagoma MP Dr Wilberforce Frank Nabwiso could become the pioneer Mayor for the new Jinja City come 2021.
The staunch Yoweri Museveni critic is one of the tens of thousands of political hopefuls that have expressed their interests to run for the various political offices come next year on the FDC ticket.
In a telephone conversation with Watchdog Uganda, Nabwiso confirmed his interest in the new City Mayorship seat but maintained that the decision would only be confirmed by the party delegates of Jinja District who are mandated to vote for the flag bearers. He also added that although he is the only one nominated for the position, his party leadership at Najjanankumbi still had a right to rule him out of the contest if they find his candidature inappropriate.
” It’s true I have expressed my interest but it will only be confirmed by my party. If they say it’s fine, then I will certainly ho all the way. But the party leadership at Najjanankumbi could still say no. You will not have our flag for any one reason or the other, ” he said.
Nabwiso goes on to explain why he has opted for the city instead of Kagoma where he represented in the 7th Parliament and has-been trying to reclaim since 2006 when he was floored by former Legislator Nkaayi Mbagadhi before he lost again in the FDC primaries to Dr Timothy Batuwa Lusala in 2016.
” Everyone is running to Parliament and so is why I thought I should volunteer to steer our new City to safety before handing it over to other people that will have received the necessary mentorship to take it forward,” explained Nabwiso.
The former Vice Chancellor of Busoga University also expressed his disgust at the unusually swelling membership of the country’s legislature which according to him has made it a joke. He cites the three minutes given to a member to speak on the floor which he says cannot be enough for members to articulate issues extensively as he would have wanted it to be.
He says they had wanted to build an effective legislature during the seventh Parliament but regrets that their efforts were later suppressed by president Museveni. As such, he says that Parliament is only an ideal place for politicians seeking to amass wealth at the expense of service to the people.
Asked whether the challenges that comes with the pioneer leadership of the new City won’t be overwhelming for him due to his advanced age, Nabwiso explained that his age gives him seniority on Jinja affairs over his rivals adding that he will be the deal choice to mentor his successors when his time finally comes to retire.
“I am old it’s true but who then is more suited for the job if not me? Who knows more than me? I find myself most suited because I will be delegating where i can’t personally reach. That way, I will be able to leave the city in the good hands of my students.” Nabwiso proudly boasted.
If voted, Nabwiso will be faced with the challenge of getting the Jinja onto the right track after being plunged in political and administrative wars with corruption, embezzlement and land grabbing the order of the day over the years which has costed the town it’s former glory as the second most developed town in the country after Kampala.
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