The ruling National Resistance Movement (NRM) won eight of the 10 executive committee slots in the Parliamentary Buganda Caucus, in a hotly contested election which had been postponed twice.
Trouble start started after Higher Education minister, Dr John Chrysestom Muyingo proposed that the two nominees for the post of chairperson, Mr. Theodore Ssekikubo (Lwemiyaga) and Johnson Muyanja Senyonga (Mukono South) should not go through elections but instead share the leadership with each serving two and a half years of the five-year term.
The proposal which was mooted in good faith, however brought confusion among the MPs and supporters for both candidates who started attacking each other, pushing and pulling in full public view. Mr. Muyanja also wanted to exchange blows with Mr Moses Kasibante (Rubaga North) who was provoking him and Mr Mathias Mpuuga.
Mr Kasibante was leading Mr. Ssekikubo’s campaign team in an election overseen by former Kakuuto MP Mathias Kasamba and other former legislators. At some point things turned a bit nasty when Mr. Muwanga Kivumbi (Butambala) lost civility and slapped journalists including Radio Simba’s reporter, Mr Ssematimba Wegire who was recording the scuffle. The journalists were invited to cover the disputed elections.
After the scuffle, the election was finally held and the ruling National Resistance Movement (NRM) won eight of the 10 executive committee slots in the Parliamentary Buganda Caucus.
Johnson Muyanja Ssenyonga, the Mukono South MP [40 votes], was elected as the caucus chairperson after defeating Theodore Ssekikubo, the Lwemiyaga county MP who got 17 votes.
Kabula county MP James Kakooza stood down during nominations in favour of Ssekikubo while Mukono Municipality MP Betty Nambooze abandoned the race due to health complications.
Mpigi district woman MP Sarah Nakawunde was elected vice chairperson.
Bukoto South MP Florence Namayanja was elected caucus secretary.
Kasanda North legislator Simeo Nsubuga was elected as publicity.
David Lukyamuzi Kalwanga went through unopposed as treasurer.
Masaka district woman representative, Babirye Kabanda became the secretary welfare.
Amos Lugoolobi went through for external affairs while Kato Lubwama, the Rubaga south MP, sailed through as secretary cultural affairs.
Haruna Kasolo, the state minister for microfinance [31 votes] defeated Idah Nantaba, the state minister for Information, Communication and Technology [26 votes] to grab the secretary cabinet affairs slot.
Buganda caucus is the largest grouping of MPs in the 10th parliament from Buganda region having over 100 members of the over 400 member August House.
Buganda’s Attorney General, David Mpanga who represented the Katiikiro appealed to members to fight poverty in Buganda and in other parts of the country and also discuss important issues in parliament such as Agriculture and the welfare of Ugandans.
