Migadde is battling with three contenders including; Philly Katamba of NUP, Ronald Wanda of FDC and NUP leaning independent candidate John Bunjo.
The locals in Buvuma district have promised to overwhelmingly vote for the National Resistance Movement (NRM) candidate, President Yoweri Kaguta Museveni unlike what happened in the 2021 general elections when he was edged by the National Unity Platform’s (NUP) Robert Kyagulanyi Ssentamu.
While addressing their area Member of Parliament, Robert Migadde Ndugwa, the locals said that unlike the situation today, before 2021 general elections, the UPDF’s Fish Protection Unit had terrorized the fishing communities where a number of them had even lost their lives yet others had sustained injuries, permanent incapacitation and multitudes rendered jobless as the fight for illegal fishing intensified.
The revelations were given during different campaign rallies held on different islands of Liibu, Lyabaana, Bukuzi, Samba and Ziiru, some of those comprising Lyabaana Town Council.
Migadde told the locals that after the 2021 general elections, the situation was so tense to the extent that he was also summoned by President Museveni in State House and put to task to explain why NUP’s Kyagulanyi had won the district by over 64% yet Museveni only acquired 32%.
“It was a very scary moment ahead of me because on my side, he quoted my convincing win of 72%. As an escape route, I told the President that I was also affected because in a normal condition, I would have won by more than 90%, but because of the UPDF’s brutality on the fishermen on the lake, and the delayed palm oil project land compensation the locals voted not only against him (Museveni) but also other NRM leader,” Migadde said.
It was during that election that the district Woman MP for Buvuma then, Jennifer Nantume Egunyu who had been in leadership for 10 years also lost the seat to NUP’s Susan Nakaziba.
However, Bashir Ssenfuma, the Lyabaana Town Council Chairperson told Migadde that since then, the situation has changed where NRM has gradually gained the ground.
“Most of our people despite the depleted lake have benefitted from the availed poverty eradication programs like the Parish Development Model (PDM), Emyooga, Uganda Women Entrepreneurship Program (UWEP) among others and they are willing to overwhelm President Museveni with the votes come January 15, 2025,” said Ssenfuma.
Tendo Nantongo, the aspiring candidate for Lyabaana TC said that from what is on the ground, the locals are ready to support not only President Museveni but also other NRM candidates.
“For this time round, we expect to get a minister from Buvuma islands, our MP, Robert Migadde Ndugwa has got enough experience in parliament, having been there for the last three consecutive terms and we are also going to vote for him for the fourth term,” she said adding;
“He is the head of NRM Buganda Parliamentary caucus and he has led fellow NRM MPs to move around the Buganda districts popularizing NRM, on top of heading the Parliamentary SACCO, we are only asking President Museveni to also honour our support to NRM with a ministerial position.”
Buvuma district NRM chairperson, Wandera Friday, also asked Buvuma locals to vote for President Museveni saying that despite his advanced age of 83 years, he has exhibited stamina to the extent that he has attended each and every NRM party rallies so far.
“Unlike the past cruel leaders, President Museveni has been a custodian of peace not only in Uganda but also in the rest of African countries like Somalia, DRC, South Sudan and others. Let’s vote for him as we protect what he has been able to fulfil in health, education, wealth creation and security,” Wandera said.
In a way of giving accountability, Migadde said that a lot of good things have been achieved in Buvuma including; a modern ferry, many health and education facilities which have been built by him as an individual and also by the government.
“We had a very dilapidated and small ferry by the time we got into leadership which was recently replaced by a very big and modern ferry, we didn’t have a district but we now have a district with more sub-counties and town councils created including this Lyabaana sub-county which brought leadership closer to people. You now have the Town Council chairperson Bashir Ssenfuma hailing from Bukuzi village, I believe as residents here, you benefit directly from his leadership,” he said.
Migadde is battling with three contenders including; Philly Katamba of NUP, Ronald Wanda of FDC and NUP leaning independent candidate John Bunjo.