Karuhanga battles 5 others for Ntungamo Municipality MP seat 

Mr Karuhanga, 38, was Western Youth MP for 2011 to 2016.  He was elected Ntungamo Municipality legislator in 2016 on an Independent ticket. 
His father, Mr Jacob Kafureeka, aka Jack Jex, is seeking the third term as mayor Ntungamo Municipality on NRM ticket.

Mr Musinguzi was elected area MP in 2011 but was beaten by Mr Karuhanga in 2016. Mr Musinguzi is also married to a daughter of Mr Mataayo Tumwine, Mr Karuhanga’s paternal uncle.

During the November 4, NRM primary polls, Mr Musinguzi faced a fierce competition for the party flag from Mr Beyendeza. Mr Beyendeza is contesting as an Independent as a form of protest against Mr Musinguzi’s alleged fraudulent victory.

Mr Karuhanga says he has fulfilled most of what he promised to deliver in his 2016 election manifesto. 

He says his achievements included lobbying of irrigation project at South Ankole Diocese valued at about Shs800 million, securing medical ambulance for Ntungamo Municipality from Embassy of Japan, upgrading of Municipal health centre III to health centre IV, Ruhoko HCII to health centre III, and connecting 17 villages to clean water sources ,  among others.

Under the programme, roads were paved and street lights were improved. Mr Karuhanga disclosed that given another term as MP, he will work for the establishment of Ntungamo University. He acquired 10 acres of land and building is ongoing. The university will have a medical school named after his late mother Kyomugisha (Kafureeka).

He also wants to ensure people get land titles at minimal cost. It costs at least Shs2 million to acquire a land title, according to Ntungamo Town Clerk Festo Tandeka.

“Surely there is an urgent need for my voters to acquire land titles. This can be done through lobbying my professional friends who are surveyors....” says Mr Karuhanga, adding: “I will make sure the youth are heard as we did before the introduction of youth livelihood and women entrepreneurship programmes.” 

Mr Beyendeza, 52, is the proprietor of Zande Properties Ltd, a real estate company. He says he competed on an Independent ticket because the NRM primary election was not free and fair as it was allegedly rigged in favour of Mr Musinguzi.

“The people of this municipality asked me to come and contest as an Independent because they were not satisfied with the way the NRM primary election was conducted,” says Mr Beyendeza.
He plans to promote modern farming, give solar panels, and secure scholarships to more than 500 students in the area. Mr Beyendeza also wants to help school-dropouts to get jobs by linking them to international labour companies.

“The town dwellers do not need hoes in the 21st Century, what they need are green houses for urban farming,”  he says.

Mr Beyendeza has secured 2,600 solar units through Beyendeza Development Initiative (BEDI) as one of the ways to improve lighting and education standards in the area. He revealed that Ntungamo Municipality will have a television station.

Mr Musinguzi has been working with the Ministry of Science, Technology and Innovation. He was in 2019 involved in research on agriculture biotechnology to improve production, bio safety and bio security to safeguard the lives of Ugandans.

Before he was elected MP in 2011, he served as councillor for Nakawa in the Kampala City (from 2006-2011). “I want to lobby funds from government and my friends to extend health services and skills to my people,” says Mr Musinguzi. 

Expansion of the town
Mr Rumanzi, 35, wants to lobby for expansion of the municipality saying the small geographical coverage is inhibiting growth and development of the town. Ntungamo Town covers 56 sqkm and there are 26 villages and 12,000 voters.

“I will lobby leaders at division level and ministry level to add more villages to expand the town because increase in the population will stir development. 

Today, we have 18,000 people but really we need at least 50,000 people to attract investors,” says Mr Rumanzi.

He also wants to ensure Kyamate Primary School is reconstructed to show that it produced the First Lady and President of Uganda and that each division will have a secondary school and health centre III. There is only one government-aided secondary school, Kyamate SS in Eastern Division, and others schools are privately owned.

There are only two health centres in the municipality; Ruhoko HC II being upgraded to HCIII in Eastern Division and Ntungamo HCIII upgraded to HCIV in Central Division. Western Division does not have any government health centre.

He also wants to uplift low income earners, especially boda boda cyclists. 

“A Member of Parliament earns more than Shs30 million per month and a motorcycle is at Shs5m. I want to buy a motorcycle for each of the 23 stages in the municipality by end of my five year term..,” says Mr Rumanzi.

Mr Ampereze, 31, says he wants to create awareness on core roles of MPs.

“Some people argue that an MP has to attend burials, parties; construct roads, water sources; pay schools fees for their children or buy them alcohol and petty things which are not sustainable. This why MPs have done nothing in Parliament in terms of doing an oversight role and making relevant laws and policies,” says Mr Ampereza.

Mr Bishanga wants to help people of Ntungamo to get land titles. He noted that he will push for the opening of a functional lands office in the district as the way of enabling access to land titles.

“Our people are not sensitised enough on how to use their land resource. You find someone with a large chunks of land but lamenting about poverty. It depends on how best you utilise your land,” says Mr Bishanga.

Profiles
Mr Gerald Karuhanga: He studied at Ruhanga Primary School in Ntungamo, went to St Mukasa Mushanga Seminary, Kitabi Seminary in Bushenyi for O’level and St Mary’s Kisubi for A-Level. Mr Karuhanga has a Bachelor degree in Law from Makerere University and postgraduate diploma from Law Development Centre and a certificate in Governance and Leadership from Harvard University.
Mr Edward Beyendeza: He has a Master’s degree in Business administration from Makerere University and a Diploma in Uganda Business studies from Makerere Business School.   
       He studied at Ruhanga School in Ntungamo, went to Bujaga Secondary School for O-level in Rwampara District and Kampala High School for A-level. Mr Beyendeza also worked with Assist Uganda Ltd Kampala, a non-governmental organisation, before joining Uganda Management Institute as the head of finance in 2012.
     He also served as finance and administration manager at World Agro Forestry Centre Kampala.
Mr Yona Musinguzi: He has a Masters of Biotechnology from Bergen University in Norway, Bachelor’s degree in Food Science and Technology from Kyambogo University. 
      He studied at Nyakihanga and Kyamate primary schools both in Ntungamo, went to Kitabi Seminary Bushenyi for O-level and St Henry’s College Kitovu in Masaka for A-level.
Mr Perez Rumanzi: He served as the president of the Lions Club Ntungamo in 2019.  He has a Diploma in Journalism and Mass Communication and has worked as a journalist for 16 years with Radio West, Red Pepper and Daily Monitor. 
     Mr Rumanzi studied at Nyakariro Primary School in Rukungiri, went to Kabwohe Secondary School in Bushenyi for O-level and St Geralds Nyakibale SS in Rukungiri for A-level.
Mr Hilary Ampereza: He has a Bachelor’s Degree in Business Computing from Makerere University. He studied at Ntungamo Primary School, went to Ntungamo Modern SS for O-level and Centre College in Mbarara for A-level.
Mr Moses Bishanga Kafumba: He has a Bachelor’s degree in Land Economics from Makerere University and a post graduate diploma in Land Surveying from Makerere University. He studied at Kabingo, Nyakasa and Rushooka Central Primary Schools both in Ntungamo and went to Ntare School for both O-level and A-level. 
       He also worked as a land valuer, land surveyor, land and protection officer in the IGG office and collateral verification officer in Microfinance Support Centre.

What voters say... 

 Gordon Gumisiriza, businessman: “As business people, we need an MP who will be our voice in order to have the tax policy revised. We are being cheated in our country. For example, we pay rent, license and the URA tax yet products are already taxed before crossing into the country. Our MPs and leaders have kept a deaf ear.”

Mugizi Dennis Kaihurankuba, chairperson of Muko Ward Western Division: “We are determined to vote for change now because no service delivery has been done in the area of health. When you go to many health facilities, you will buy your own syringe and even cotton for expectant mothers.”

Edward Natamba of South Western Institute for Policy and Advocacy: “It’s sad to find that aspiring leaders do not know the municipality ten-year development plan.  That plan is the basis for the well-being of the people. That should be the basis of their contribution. And even voters do not know the roles of their MPs.”