IT WILL BE FREE & FAIR: Chairman Mao
NEWS EDITOR
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LATEST about the Democratic Party (DP) EALA primaries, President General Norbert Mao has instructed the National Legal Advisor to prepare and draft Electoral Rules which will be followed during the party elections.
In a message he exclusively sent to this News Website, Chairman Mao thanked News Editor Media for our EALA 2022 Election stories and echoed how DP Primaries will be free and fair.
Hon. Mao revealed to us that, “I have aired all members that we shall have a free and fair vegetate selection process. We have instructed the National Legal Advisor to prepare draft Electoral Rules.”
This comes at a time when Secretary General Dr. Gerald Blacks Siranda’s chance to win DP ticket to EALA becomes more clear after some three aspirants in the party chose to step down for him.
The tripple, whose names we have been requested not to reveal as of now had already shown interest in the seat but on Friday last week, they together met the party bosses and deregistered their interest.
“We have consulted and all indicators show, Dr. Siranda is the favourite. This is not a do or die. We can serve this great party in other fields. We wish him good luck.” Said the three who agreed to stand down for Siranda.
He is expected to ride on an easy road to EALA. The only would be hard contestant to face is former Masaka district woman MP, Mary Babirye Kabanda. However, Siranda’s camp feels not bothered and they have vowed to defeat her with a very big margin.
Babirye Kabanda who isn’t known for being articulate, has insisted not to run out of the race.
“That poor boy Siranda can not win us. If it means drying our Bank accounts we shall do it to win on our side party delegates. Let him stand warned.” Quoted a Babirye Kabanda’s top campaigner.
DR. SIRANDA @ EALA
A trusted source says, Dr. Siranda has been loyal to the party, and at no single moment has he ever rebelled against DP. He is dependable and trusted. The party feels comfortable to deploy such a brilliant young man to EALA to replace an encyclopedia Hon. Fred Mukasa Mbidde.
An insider who requested anonymity has told us that, “It is true the Party has not carried out nominations for those who are interested in the flag. We know at the right time they will, although the mantle will go to Dr. Siranda”.
Among all aspirants, it’s only Siranda who can easily sell out to Members of Parliament coming from different regions. He is not known to be tribalistic, he is a National figure and this character will get him votes when he presents himself both at Party level and even before members of the 11th Parliament who vote EALA MPs.
A fluent soft speaking young man, Dr. Siranda comes from Bukedi, a region that has never had any person elected EALA MP. He has the sympathy vote from both ruling NRM and opposition parties.
His other card is the Deputy Speaker Rt. Hon. Anita Among, a great mobilizer who comes from Bukedi. We are told, all her teams have been put on alert to campaign and vote for Dr. Siranda if DP sends his name to Parliament. Believe me or not, with Anita Among at Parliament, Siranda will go to EALA.
For starters, Eastern region has the most numbers of MPs in the 11th Parliament. They are 198. This is a very good start for Dr. Siranda if they unanimously vote for the son of their soil.
In number of MPs, Eastern is followed by Western region, Central region is third and Northern region fourth with 98 MPs. All these dynamics work for Siranda. He can easily win Eastern, Northern and Western to be declared EALA MP.
There is nothing that has sold Siranda like the Inter-Party Organization for Dialogue (IPOD) meetings. He has been in top leadership and this has brought him closer to leaders of different political parties more so NRM which has the majority MPs. These meetings have depicted him as a national leader who agitates for peace, good governance and dialogue.
For those who don’t know, going by the 11th Parliament composition with NRMs being the majority, there is no way an opposition member can win EALA seat without NRM votes.
NRM has a total of 339 MPs. Opposition are only 107 out of 529 MPs. Although they vote twice, they can’t take through their candidate. So, NRM votes count and Dr. Siranda has this vote.
To win a DP ticket, Siranda will have a walk over. The would be serious contender Mary Babirye Kabanda committed crimes against the Party, she automatically has no chance.
WHY BABIRYE KABANDA WILL FACE AN UP-HILL
If the winner of the party flag was going to be decided by Buganda region, then Babirye Kabanda would have an upper hand. However because DP is a national party with NEC mebers from all regions, she is no where in the EALA puzzle!
Babirye has no attachments in Western Region. DP Vice president in charge of Western Uganda, Imamu Makumbi has openly declared his support for Siranda. In fact, he has mobilised that whole region for NEC members to vote this loyal servant.
Even in Northern region, Babirye Kabanda’s name is no where.
In Eastern, we are told, she has one Ramathan Bazanye, a delegate from Jinja who supports her after she went there and promised their children scholarships. Other delegates are Team Siranda and this is a writing on the wall that she will also be beaten in this region.
In Buganda where Babirye Kabanda has roots, the fight for votes rages on. There are other aspirants who have shown interest.
They include Mr. Kagimu (DP VP Buganda), Aisha Waliggo (NEC member and Leader Women League in DP), Cissy Bayiga and Luyinda from Nansana.
Being a women league leader, Waliggo will get about 5 votes in Buganda and Kagimu has about two or three votes. This is a disadvantage to Babirye Kabanda.
About the crimes she has committed against DP, Kabanda was the funder of the people who took DP to court. Those who remember the case of counsel Sam Muyizzi. This is the case DP battled in court during the 2020 Lock down. She swore and signed an affidavit.
If it wasnt President General Hon. Norbert Mao, Hon. Mbidde, Dr. Siranda and Mayambala, there would be no DP today. Babirye Kabandas team had even secured an injunction.
She only changed her heart a few days to the 2021 election period and came back to DP after Hon. Mbidde had formed a formidable ground for DP in Masaka. However, her earlier acts and hate filled statements against the party leadership costed DP in elections.
During the burial of DP MP Robinah Ssentongo, in the presence of DP president General, Babirye Kabanda publicly attacked Hon. Mao accusing him for standing for president.
She ‘directed’ him to leave the race for NUP’s Hon. Robert Ssentamu Kyagulanyi.
In her words Babirye Kabanda said, “We already agreed not to support you for president. Step down for Hon. Robert Ssentamu Kyagulanyi, he is our choice not you Mao.”
Babirye who was then a DP candidate for MP Masaka City (a race she lost), said all this well aware that Mao had been nominated as a party candidate in the presidential elections and was already in presidential campaigns.
This was uncalled for. It was not only Hon. Mao who got angry, but even other party leaders.
Although Babirye Kabanda didn’t support Mao’s candidature, she very much knew he was the official party candidate.
Using a party function like that to to go bare knuckles and embarrass her party president before cameras that he should exit presidential race for an able candidate Kyagulanyi, Babirye Kabanda will pay dearly for this. Delegates are ready to pay her back in the same currency come EALA polls. She has no chance to make it through.
It should be remembered, on the same burial function, Hon. Mpalanyi who defeated Haruna Kasolo in January elections played it very well. He said, “Me i will not comment, you are our leaders. Use the right forum to discuss about such issues.”
During one of her campaign rallies, Babirye Kabanda said, “In a bid to build the party (DP), Hon. Mao must leave Kyagulanyi to stand for president, he is our candidate. Ladies and gentleman, for us our brains work well, the name Bobi Wine is not on the ballot paper, look and tick Kyagulanyi Ssentamu Robert for president.”
So the whole genesis of everything is Babirye Kabanda playing stupid politics. But that is her strength.
She has no fall back position! Those who thought NUP MPs who are the majority on opposition side in Parliament can go for Babirye Kabanda, this is false.
Although she declared her support to Kyagulanyi in campaigns, when she lost, this lady turned guns against the Ghetto gladiator and the NUP MPs and other leaders who swept positions in greater Masaka and their supporters.
Babirye is on record circulating a document in which elected NUP leaders were blackmailed, calling them substandard, poor and illiterate. She did not spare Hon. Robert Ssentamu Kyagulanyi.
Therefore we do not see how NUP MPs will support Babirye Kabanda who called them names after she lost her MP bid.
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