Troubled childhood endeared Chemonges to Kween voters

Born in 1984 in Binyiny Town Council in a remote village named Tukumo, he was circumcised from his grandmother’s courtyard, as opposed to his father’s home, the norm among the Sebei people.

“My background won me many hearts. It’s an abomination in Sebei for a son of a given homestead to be neglected during circumcision. For me, my grandmother and my mother took charge of my initiation ceremony,” he says.

Mr Chemonges, who looked jovial after his swearing-in recently, told Sunday Monitor that his grandmother and other relatives contributed, among other things, millet for initiation ceremony.

“They contributed maize and money to buy millet used for brewing Komek (a locally-made alcohol for circumcision ceremony). This was basically what I needed,” he says.

In Kween, the cultural bond of the Sabiny people is still deeply-rooted.

In 2019, for example, police in the district arrested 19 people over allegations of aiding women and girls to undergo Female Genital Mutilation (FGM) in various sub-counties. FGM is recognised internationally as a violation of the rights of women.

On the other hand, male circumcision, which is crucial in the transition from boyhood to manhood in their culture, is peformed every even year.

Mr Kasim Lamin, a childhood friend of Mr Chemonges, says the MP informed their initiation team the night before the ceremony that he wanted to be circumcised from his grandmother’s home, which was an abomination.

“So when he expressed interest to represent us [in Parliament], the talk spread like bush fire,” Lamin says, adding that wananchi wanted to reward him for the storm he weathered during childhood.

“He was very popular among the youth in Kween, adding to his experience in handling political campaigns.
In 2018, Mr Chemonges expressed interest in uprooting Mr Lawrence Cherop Mangusho, the outgoing Kween MP, from the seat.

What is fascinating is that Chemonges was among the chief strategists for Mangusho’s road to Parliament in 2016. Mangusho’s right-hand man was, therefore, going for his boss’ job.

“My people kept asking me why he had distanced himself from us. Others encouraged me to challenge him. So I woke up one morning and decided to give it a shot,” Mr Chemonges says.

He says it wasn’t an easy journey since he was arrested multiple times over what he claims was political witchhunt.

Humble background 
Mr Chemonges went to Binyiny Primary School, Tulwo Secondary School (since closed), Kapchorwa SS, Town View SS and Chemwania SS for his O-Level.

“After completing primary education, I lacked school fees for S1. My aunt took me to Tulwo SS after speaking to the director of the school,” he says.

He credits his mother and aunt for pulling resources together to raise his school fees.
“Mr mother brewed locally-made alcohol to raise my school fees. They transferred me to Kapchorwa SS for my S2. My aunt rented for me a house near the school. I remained focused and determined to complete school,” he adds.

From Senior Two, Chemonges skipped Senior Three and joined Senior Four. 
“I looked at how my guardians were toiling and decided to skip a class. I went to Town View SS and passed the interview. I only alerted my aunt of my decision after a week. She supported it,’’ he says.

He later joined Chemwania SS, a government-aided school, after failing to raise fees at Town View SS. 
But after S4, reality struck again. There was no school fees for A-Level.

“I went to my father, but he had nothing to offer. I sought help from our clan elders. My father was arrested. It was a sad moment. He accepted to offer an acre of land for my school fees. That’s how I joined Uganda Technical College Elgon for a diploma in plumbing,’’ he says.

Starting out life 
The MP says he took advantage of the skills in plumbing to serve the community.

Mr Chemonges prides in his first water project at Menya Primary School that earned him some good money in 2007.

“I was able to use some of the money to pay part of my tuition for the last semester in UTC Elgon. Many people in Kween later supported my services and I created a strong bond with them,” he says.

In 2007, Chemonges contemplated travelling to Kampala to start out life. 
“By then, my mother was working as a maid at the home of a prominent doctor in Kween. I got some money from her and topped on what I had,” he says.

Lamin and Salim Chemonges, a city pastor, accommodated him. “I slept at Salim’s church that day I came to the city.”
From 2007 to 2008, the MP did casual work and later got a job at Rhino Investments from where his dream for real estate started.

“Some MPs I had dealt with in real estate later encouraged me to go and represent my people,” he says.

Journey to politics
“I contested for head prefect in Primary Six. My opponents were in P7, but I beat them. More than 500 pupils lined up behind me,’’ Chemonges reminisces of the past as he speaks in a low tone.

He also served as a mobiliser for the Sebei Students Association while in Uganda Technical College Elgon.
But his active engagement in politics came in 2014 during an LC5 by-election in Kween.
Although his candidate lost, Chemonges was never derailed. In 2016, he rallied behind Mangusho and Mr Machinja (the outgoing chairperson for Kween).

“I created a strong relationship with their campaign managers. That is why my candidature sold out when I challenged my own friend. I knew the good and bad faces,” he says.

Chemonges says he will follow up on his promises in his manifesto on water coverage, the resettlement issue, education plans and the healthcare, among others.
His theme for this term in Parliament is ‘mindset change and boosting household income’.  

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