NRM mobilizers in greater Masaka worried about unfulfilled pledges

Kampala, Uganda | THE INDEPENDENT | A long list of unfulfilled campaign pledges and the brutal military-led operations against illegal fishing practices are bothering National Resistance Movement-NRM party campaign mobilizers in greater Masaka sub-region.

The party mobilizers including NRM district and constituency chairpersons and candidates for different leadership positions from districts under greater Masaka sub region have in their campaign planning meeting revealed that the many unfulfilled pledges and brutality of the Fisheries Protection Unit are haunting their mobilization efforts in the area.

The NRM coordinators were attending a planning meeting ahead of the campaign tour of their party presidential candidate, Yoweri Tibuhaburwa Kaguta Museveni next week. According to the mobilisers, the majority of the unfulfilled pledges some dating from as early as the 2011 and 2016 presidential campaigns and the president’s visit in the area have made their task difficult.

Theodore Ssekikubo, Lwemiyaga County Member of Parliament in Sembabule district says some of the striking concerns in the area include an unfulfilled pledges to women and youth associations, value addition facilities for agricultural produce, longstanding unresolved land disputes involving political bigwigs and poor social service delivery among others.

According to Ssekikubo, the unfulfilled pledges are complicating their mobilization efforts for the party and are providing a platform for opposition politicians who are lately making inroads in the area, which was predominantly for the ruling NRM.

Boaz Ninsiima Kasirabo, the Kooki County Member of Parliament in Rakai says the electorate is hostile every time they go out to solicit support for the party.

According to him, the unfulfilled campaign pledges in his area include the tarmacking of Rakai to Isingoro road, the extension of safe water and rural electrification project and the controversy surrounding the funding of the new job creation and wealth creation initiative commonly known as Emyooga.

The others are tarmacking Kasensero road, provision of a ferry connecting Kansensero landing site to Nangoma peninsular, relief support to thousands of the 2016 earthquake victims in Rakai and Kyotera districts.

Willy Lugoloobi, the Kalangala district NRM chairperson, who also doubles as the area LC V chairperson says that besides the many unfulfilled pledges to individual districts, the region has generally suffered the wrath of the Fisheries Protection Unit-FPU in its operations against illegal fishing practices.

He says that unless President Museveni provides convincing explanations about the underlying concerns, the party is likely to face hard times in the forthcoming general elections.

However, the NRM vice chairperson in charge of Central region, Godfrey Kiwanda Ssuubi has challenged the mobilizers to stop lamenting about the delayed projects and focus on highlighting accomplished projects and public program to win public support.

*****

URN