Prime
Kiboga MP, district boss clash over creation of new constituency
Aggrieved. Dr Keefa Kiwanuka, Kiboga East MP.
What you need to know:
- Kiboga District was formed in 1991 after being carved out of Mubende. It has a population of 148,218 people. It is has six sub-counties and three town councils.
Kiboga. President Museveni’s support for creation of a second constituency in Kiboga District has created friction between the district chairperson, Mr Israel Yiga, and the area Member of Parliament, Dr Keefa Kiwanuka.
While passing out entrepreneurship graduands at Bukomero Technical Institute, Kiboga District on February 27, Mr Museveni said he would endorse a proposal seeking to create another constituency in the district once Parliament approves it.
“I will support your request because I have personally realised that the district population has increased over the years,” he said.
But both Mr Yiga and Dr Kiwanuka now accuse each other of misinterpreting the President’s message.
Dr Kiwanuka said President Museveni did not order the Ministry of Local Government to expedite the process of creating the new constituency as claimed by Mr Yiga.
“He [Mr Museveni] never disclosed it anywhere in his statement [that the Local Government ministry should speed up the process of creating a new constituency], but just promised to support the idea,” he said in an interview on Tuesday.
However, Mr Yiga insists that the President’s statement is always an order, urging Dr Kiwanuka to stop deceiving residents.
“Dr Kiwanuka should accept that he is not in support of the new constituency other than deceiving people that President Museveni never ordered the line ministry to push for creation of another constituency,” he said.
Mr Yiga explained that residents in Kiboga have for long been demanding for another constituency but this has been impossible due to its low population.
“Since the population has increased and the President has supported it, let our dream come true; Dr Kiwanuka should leave us to celebrate this milestone,” Mr Yiga said.
In the run-up to the 2016 General Election, Parliament approved the creation of 65 new constituencies in various parts of the country, raising the number from 384 to 425.
However, some Opposition legislators protested the move, saying it would exert pressure on the national resource envelope.
Mr Yiga has served as Kiboga District chairperson for two five-year terms but he recently declared his intention to contest against Dr Kiwanuka who is serving his first term as Kiboga East MP.
Both politicians have since been having bitter verbal exchanges at public functions.
Dr Kiwanuka accuses Yiga of failing to deliver at the local government level and wonders why he should yearn for a parliamentary seat.
Kiboga District was formed in 1991 after being carved out of Mubende. It has a population of 148,218 people. It is has six sub-counties and three town councils.
The sub-counties include Dwaniro, Bukomero, Muwanga, Lwamata, Kibiga and Kapeke. The town councils are Kiboga, Bukomero and Lwamata.
