The recent Kisoro By-Election have gone down without much fanfare or excitement. Shockingly, there haven’t been a sort of move or tension, which made the regime or the National Resistance Movement (NRM) to act all out.
The ordinary acts of pre-ticked ballots, added security forces and policing in the District was as a customary act. The NRM used their teams and worked hard for their candidate. Meanwhile the opposition fielded several candidates to no avail.
That the PPP, FDC, UPC and NUP all had a candidate, but the battle was a NRM Leaning Independent versus the NRM candidate. The others was just publicity and party building exercises. The ones thinking otherwise was naive.
The National Resistance Movement (NRM) have yet again not listed to the local sentiments or who that is rightfully to elect. That’s why Rose Kabagyeni didn’t win and wasn’t favoured enough as Grace Ngabirano Akifeza. The NRM Electoral Commission didn’t take into consideration the will of the region or the district and just pushed through their person. This is why Akifeza went independent and proved them all wrong.
Plenty are mocking the NUP here, rightfully so… but in justification the NUP had no stakes in it and would only be a miracle if it was getting a win. The machinery is on the side of the NRM. The state apparatus in high gear and this is why they sort it out this way. They can rig to a certain extent, but they cannot force it totally. That’s why the likes of Akifeza gets through.
She would have harder trouble being elected or being part of it. If she wasn’t friendly to the NRM and wanted to be their flag-bearer to begin with. The President and the NRM EC needs to reevaluate. The other parties just had fools hope and it went nowhere.
It didn’t help that Bobi Wine or James Akena was part of the campaigns ahead of the polls. It didn’t matter that the NUP was there for two days. However, they didn’t guard the votes and continued their country tour. That’s why some people aren’t taking them seriously. As they weren’t trying to forge or even fortify the district. Instead they had hope and thought Tana aka Beyoncé would carry it for them. Alas, that is clearly not the case.
The Opposition Parties needs to assess the By-Election and if it is worth it. They need to consider to field joint candidates and make alliance across the political spectrum. As the NRM won’t relent and they are only allowing NRM leaning Independents as the second best. This is why they accept the loss, but wouldn’t be okay with a true opposition. Therefore, they knew this and saw the footprints in the sand.
You need an earthquake and a miracle for opposition MPs to win in these By-Elections. There is little wiggle-room or if any. Except for when a person has such popularity that is out of bound or out of the ordinary. They are unique and has the messages that the locals or voters are concerned about. They have the sincere heart and nobility that makes them feasible. That’s the times the opposition has won these in the recent years.
This time around… there was a run-of-the-mill election. Nothing was significant and no message was said. There was no story or tale to be told. Only that the NRM lost to one of their own. They lost to someone who wanted to be theirs, but they rejected her. That’s why the locals said “no” and we want her. This is why we are here today. Peace.
MinBane 