NEWS EDITOR
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ON Thursday this week, Rubaga Division Urban Council newly elected Mayor Zacchy Mberaze Mawula aka Taata Namuli is expected to announce the appointment of Busega IV councilor Hajjat Rehema Ssanyu Fugge as his deputy in a council convened by Speaker Musa Mbaziira.
Insiders say, Mberaze and Fugge have formed a political alliance targeting to uproot Rubaga South MP Aloysius Mukasa come 2026 General elections. We shall come back to this to show how the deal has been hatched!
DEPUTY SPEAKER ANNOUNCEMENT
Mberaze will however make this announcement amidst protests by a section of councillors especially from Rubaga North who accuse Mberaze of breaking an agreement he made with them if elected, to appoint his deputy from this area.
For starters, Rubaga Division is made up of two constituencies, Rubaga South and Rubaga North. Mberaze comes from Mutundwe while Rehema Fugge in Busega, both parishes in Rubaga South.
Fugge a member of opposition NUP contested for Speaker and narrowly lost to NRM’s Mbaziira who is also coming from Lubaga South. Mbaziira got 49 votes while Rehema Fugge who had Mberaze’s full backing polled 45 votes in a council dominated by NUP councilors.
NUP has 64 councilors, NRM has 11 councilors, DP 3, FDC 5 and 13 independents.
Due to differences amongst NUP leaders in Lubaga, some party councilors who are furious about how Mberaze conducts business ended up voting a minority NRM candidate for the Speaker.
This led to Party investigations into this shame where a majority party handed over speakership to a minority party.
A number of councilors were summoned at the party headquarters for questioning. However, the findings are still kept a top secret.
WHAT MBERAZE PLEDGED ON DEPUTY SPEAKER APPOINTMENT
During his campaigns, Mberaze a staunch Catholic assured Muslims that he will appoint a Moslem deputy to balance the boat if he is elected Rubaga Mayor.
In his words, Mberaze allegedly said, “My deputy will come from Rubaga North constituency and she will be a Moslem.”
Rubaga North councilors are not happy, they say, he has moved away from what he promised voters. Yes he has appointed a female Moslem but not from Rubaga North as he promised during campaigns.
WHO WERE RUBAGA NORTH CANDIDATES FOR DEPUTY MAYOR
Three councilors had been fronted for this slot. They included; Kizza Clement who represents Lungujja. He is however not a moslem.
Another one is councilor Shamim Nabiddo formerly of Nkobazambogo at the University. She has also been secretary for youth affairs, secretary for women affairs in DP in Lubya, she heads youth in Nakinsinge clan, she has a network of leaders who have mentored her like Hakim Kizza. Nabiddo graduated in Mass communication. She is now pursuing a Masters in Public Administration.
The third one is councilor Tendo Sulayina, wife to Lord councilor Jeremia Keeya. They have one child. Both live in Gayaza. Jeremia has a muzigo in Lubya zone, Lubya parish.
MBERAZE – REHEMA FUGGE 2026 MP GAME PLAN
According to our investigations, the two, Zacchy Mberaze and Rehema Fugge have a big deal for 2026 which camp Aloysius Mukasa, Rubaga South MP must plan for before it’s too late.
The two, we are told, are working to form an alliance to kick a fellow NUP member, Hon. Mukasa out of Rubaga South MP seat come 2026.
Political analysts we have talked to say, in Mberaze’s 2026 political calculations he doesn’t need Rubaga North, that is why he has decided to ignore them in his appointments and give it all to Rubaga South, whose votes he wants in 2026 because he isn’t returning as Mayor but instead as MP.
This is their calculation: Rubaga South is made up of 8 (Eight) parishes. The most populated Parish is Mutundwe where Mberaze comes from and he is assured of full support if he contests for MP. It has 30,000 voters.
It is followed by Busega Parish with 25,000 voters. This is where Rehema Fugge comes from.
MP Aloysius Mukasa’s Kabowa Parish is number three with 24,000 voters. We are told, Camp Mberaze is scratching heads on how to influence Ndeeba’s iron lady, Lord councilor Faridah Nakabugo to join their team and if she agrees and Ndeeba is added to Mutundwe and Busega, they can easily beat Hon. Mukasa.
So this is why Mayor Mberaze is shopping for Rehema Fugge as his deputy and we are told, he is ready to appoint more Lubaga South councilors so that he prepares his 2026 ground in time.
For those who don’t know, Fugge is a great mobilizer especially in women groups and Mosques. Mberaze advisers say, with Rehema as his deputy, women and Muslims will be on his side.
Other councilors Mberaze is targeting include Omulangira Kayima from Nateete who is believed to be a good strategist. Another one is Musa Lusembo from Ndeeba and Fatuma Nyombi representing Mutundwe. Nyombi supported Mukasa but insiders say, these days she is seen closer to Mberaze camp.
Camp Mukasa looks to be aware of this plot and they are not seated!
HOW ODDS DON’T WORK FOR RUBAGA NORTH
Rubaga North has five parishes producing fewer councilors than Rubaga South. Mayor Mberaze might have looked at this while appointing his deputy.
The five parishes are; Lubya (14 councilors), Kasubi (12 councilors), Nakulabye (6 councilors), Lungujja (6 councilors) and Namirembe Bakuli (3 councilors).
For Rubaga South has 8 Parishes; Busega (9 councilors), Mutundwe (9 councilors), Kabowa (9 councilors), Nateete (7 councilors), Lubaga Parish (6 councilors), Ndeeba (3 councilors), Najja I (3 councilors) and Najja II (2 councilors).
The two councilors representing interest groups come from Rubaga South and so do the two councilors representing the elderly.
Councilors representing People With Disabilities (PWDs), one is from Rubaga South and the other one (Lillian Walugembe) is from Rubaga North although she got married in Rubaga South.
MBERAZE LEARNING FROM FORMER MAYOR SSEBUGGWAWO
In her last term as Rubaga Mayor, Owek. Joyce Nabbosa Ssebuggwawo appointed her deputy and all ministers from Rubaga South.
Notably, Speaker Mbaziira was also from Lubaga South.
Ssebuggwawo’s Deputy Asuman Ntale was councilor representing Busega in Rubaga South. She also appointed him minister in charge of Education and Social Services.
Councilor Jackson Muwanga from Nateete was Ssebuggwawo’s minister for Works and Physical planning.
Minister for Gender was Rose Namakula, councilor for Rubaga Parish, in Lubaga South.
Ssebuggwawo also appointed youth councilor Henry Lutwama as Minister in charge of Administration. He was coming from Busega.
She didn’t appoint any minister from Rubaga North.
During her first term 2011-2016 when she was appointing only her deputy, Ssebuggwawo gave it to the only FDC councilor Cathy Nagawa representing Namirembe Hospital Zone in Rubaga North. Ssebuggwawo was also from this zone in Lubaga North. Meaning, Mayor and her deputy were not only from Rubaga North but from the same zone.
How come, those councilors accusing Mayor Mberaze for appointing Rehema Fugge because both come from Rubaga South, did not accuse Owek. Ssebuggwawo for appointing Cathy Nagawa yet both came from Rubaga North?
Mayor Mberaze will not be the first to appoint his deputy coming from the same constituency. After all the deputy speaker Mpiima is coming from Rubaga North.
WINNIE MAKUMBI PRECEDENT
Another Rubaga former Mayor Winnie Makumbi (late), was from Rubaga South but appointed her deputy Charles Mulindwa from the same constituency. Makumbi was coming from Busega while Mulindwa was a councilor representing Nateete.
Speaker of Winnie Makumbi’s council was Mukwaya Mbwatekamwa also from Rubaga South.
Her ministers were Titus Ntulume for Gender, Richard Miiro (Works and physical planning) were councilors in Rubaga South.
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