PHOTO: Dr. Siranda defeats Babirye Kabanda for EALA MP Job
NEWS EDITOR
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WHAT our foot soldiers gathered months back showing how Mary Babirye Kabanda, the former Masaka district woman member of Parliament will be defeated by young man Dr. Gerald Blacks Siranda for EALA MP DP flag, materialised on Saturday, last week.Thanks to our news desk for they were spot on!
Like we predicted, on Saturday evening, opposition Democratic Party Secretary General Dr. Siranda won the party flag to contest for East African Legislative Assembly (EALA) elections slated for early next year.
In an election which was held at the DP Campaign Command Center Balintuma Road, Mengo in Kampala, Dr. Siranda who comes from the Eastern part of the country defeated money magnet Babirye Kabanda even in Buganda, her home region.
A crestfallen Babirye Kabanda, although NEC members from Northern Uganda voted for her, shockingly, blamed her loss on DP President General Nobert Mao.
She has called upon her supporters to go slow on DP activities in what political analysts have interpreted as the genesis of Babirye Kabanda’s political demise having failed to manage her anger!
In a statement she must have posted out of anger on a WhatsApp group called ‘TEAM BABIRYE EALA MP 2022’ shortly after elections on Saturday, Babirye Kabanda said, “Dear my supporters, thank you very much for supporting me. President (Norbert) Mao has directly decampained me and your people from Buganda have betrayed us. We had 45% support from western Region, 85% from Northern Region, NEC members from Eastern region supported their own (Dr. Siranda) and those from Buganda, very few supported me. l pity my beloved party DP.”
Spitting fire, Babirye Kabanda who in January MP elections lost to a less known NUP’s Juliet Kakande has vowed to remain a Democrat, “But lam going to reduce on my activities for Democratic party. Therefore my supporters go slow as far as supporting Dp activities.”
“Buganda gave me 7 votes out of 17 votes, Northern Region gave me 8 votes out of 11, Western Region gave me 4 votes out of 9 and in Eastern region, I got 3 votes out of 11. Do you see how Baganda betrayed us?” Babirye Kabanda asked supporters who were consoling her over this other election loss in a period of only 11 months.
ELECTIONS @ BALINTUMA ON SATURDAY
The day started with campaigns in the ordinary NEC sitting presided over by the Party’s National Chairman Dr. Kiwanuka Mayambala.
The two candidates for EALA primaries that were present namely Babirye Kabanda who is the Treasurer General of the party and Dr. Gerald Blacks Siranda the Secretary General campaigned to woo NEC members who constitute the voters in this regard.
The two, were given twenty minutes each, to convince the voters to choose who was the best for the slot. Later, each was given 10 minutes to answer questions from NEC members.
For starters, Democratic Party nominated three candidates for EALA flag bearer. These were; Faith Namusana Akiteng, Babirye Kabanda and Siranda Gerald Blacks. However, only two, Kabanda and Siranda showed up on the voting day.
Faith Namusana pulled out at the 11th hour. In her communication to the Party leadership, she said that there was some erand she had to run which took precedent over pursuing to become the DP EALA flag bearer. Party resolved to move on with the two candidates.
After question time, elections kicked off in the absence of two NEC members. Final results had Dr. Siranda as a winner and he will have to tussle it out with other political party candidates for EALA seats.
MISTAKES WHICH CAUSED BABIRYE KABANDA’S DEFEAT
Babirye Kabanda was allegedly the funder of that group of DP rebels who took party to court.
For those who remember the case of counsel Sam Muyizzi, this is the case DP battled in court during the 2020 Lock down. Babirye Kabanda swore and signed an affidavit on the side of DP rebels.
If it wasnt President General Hon. Norbert Mao, Hon. Fred Mukasa Mbidde, Dr. Siranda and Dr. Mayambala, there would be no DP today. Babirye Kabanda’s 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 must have costed DP in the Masaka elections.
ON EMBARRASSING MAO
During the burial of DP MP Robinah Ssentongo, in the presence of Hon. Mao who was then the DP presidential candidate, Babirye Kabanda publicly attacked him 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 (Mao) 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 running 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 go bare knuckles and embarrass her party president before cameras that he should exit presidential race for an able candidate Kyagulanyi, Babirye Kabanda had to pay dearly for this.
NEC members waited for a moment like that of Saturady, to pay her back in the same currency, they achieved it.
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 had no fall back position.”
WHEN SHE ABUSED KYAGULANYI & OTHER NUP ELECTED LEADERS
Those who thought NUP MPs who are the majority on opposition side in Parliament can go for Babirye Kabanda, there is lot you don’t know.
Although she declared her support to Kyagulanyi in campaigns, when she lost her MP seat to NUP’s Juliet Kakande, Babirye Kabanda turned guns against the Ghetto gladiator, NUP MPs and other leaders who swept positions especially 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.
In Masaka, NUP leaders must have been the happiest on learning that the lady who abused them has been rejected even by her DP party.
Prior to January 14th 2021 election, Babirye Kabanda was in spotlight after NUP leaders accused her of being in bed with ruling NRM’s Robert Asiimwe who was contesting for MP Kimanya-Kabonera against NUP’s Dr. Abed Bwanika.
What the two, Babirye Kabanda and Robert Asiimwe were chasing after, left many unanswered questions.
NUP opposition camp feared that Babirye and Asiimwe were cooking up something that and allegedly involved Masaka district EC returning officer a one Agaba.
NUP officials zeroed on a one Musinguzi who was acting as a broker between the three; filthy rich Babirye Kabanda, Robert Asiimwe and Agaba.
Sources told this news website that about three days to the General elections, a top security chief in Masaka met polling assistants and gave them orders. A day later, Babirye Kabanda, Robert Asiimwe and Sarah Kiyimba allegedly met with presiding officers at Sarah’s mum home to seal the deal.
Tycoon Lwasa (who is a friend to Babirye Kabanda) also held a meeting with polling assistants and NUP detected foul play. Lwasa was contesting for Masaka City Mayor against NUP’s Florence Namusana.
Babirye Kabanda was tussling it out with Juliet Kakande, Asiimwe Robert was indeed having sleepless nights over NUP’s Dr. Abed Bwanika. However, all NUP candidates won.
ELECTION OF EALA MPS 2022-2027
529 members of the 11th Parliament will vote the 9 MPs to represent Uganda in the EALA. Chairman Mao has already offered himself to be the chief campaigner of the DP flag bearer in the EALA elections, come next year.
Uganda like any of the six member countries (Rwanda, Burundi, Kenya, Tanzania and South Sudan), sends 9 MPs to EALA. Of the 9 seats, ruling NRM normally gives themselves 6 seats, 1 goes to Independents and 2 shared among all the opposition parties. Fact is, only Parties in good books with the majority NRM win these seats. DP and UPC are the favourites, although recently FDC is a new entrant in the club!
HON. MBIDDE EXIT, SIRANDA ENTRY
Because the law doesn’t allow the incumbent Hon. Fred Mukasa Mbidde to contest again after the completion of his two terms at the Arusha Parliament, the Party has now zeroed on this youngster, Dr. Siranda to carry on the mantle.
A few months ago, when this News Website reached Hon. Mbidde for a comment about the members who have shown interest to fit his shoes at EALA, DP Vice President had this to say, “When it’s time, trust me, the Party will give you the best candidate with a National not regional identity. An MP sent to EALA must be a Nationalist. DP has that member, just give it time.”
The former Makerere University Guild President did not disclose who this member is although he intimated that he perfectly knows who his successor will be, at EALA.
Although he insisted the party will go through all legal procedures to elect the best candidate for the party flag in EALA elections, insiders intimated to us that, Dr. Siranda was the man. Insiders said, Siranda was endorsed by Party top bosses.
WHY DR. SIRANDA DEFEATED BABIRYE KABANDA
Her camp has been bragging about her riches and vowed to do the needful so that Siranda is defeated.
They said. “That poor boy Siranda can not win us. If it means drying our Bank accounts we shall do it to woo to our side party delegates. Let him stand warned.” This has not come to pass.
A trusted source says, Dr. Siranda has been loyal to the party, and at no single moment has he ever rebelled against DP.
Siranda is dependable and trusted. The party felt comfortable to deploy such a brilliant young man to EALA to replace an encyclopedia Hon. Fred Mukasa Mbidde.
An insider who requested anonymity told us that, “It’s only Siranda who can easily sell to Members of Parliament coming from different regions of the country. He is not tribalistic, he is a National figure and this character will get him votes when he is presented both at Party level and will also be his driving force before members of the 11th Parliament who vote EALA MPs.”
A fluent soft spoken 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 since now, DP has given him a flag. Believe me or not, with Anita Among at Parliament, Siranda will go to EALA.
For starters, Eastern region has the most number 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. From what happened at Balintuma on Sataday, don’t be shocked if Siranda wins Buganda.
WHY NRM MPS WILL VOTE FOR SIRANDA
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 endorsement.
NRM has a total of 339 MPs. Opposition are only 107 out of 529 MPs. Even if they are allowed to vote twice, opposition MPs can’t take through their candidate. So, NRM votes count and Dr. Siranda has this vote.
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