Well, as bad day goes, Dr. Elioda Tumwesigye, the MP since 2001, former State Minister of Health General Duties, the former MP for Sheema North until he resigned from that post in 2018 and ran for the post of Sheema Municipality. Which happened to be annulled this week. His even in bigger trouble, as his campaign in 2018 costs shs. 850 millions, which he was begging the President signed on a government letter to pay.
This means his campaign was used to buying voters, rigging and ensuring his victory in a municipality, which was non-existing. He retired from his constituency in 2018. An constituency he had been representing since 2001. Therefore, he took the risk, seemingly to follow the National Resistance Movement agenda in the county and also show loyalty to the President.
However, everything has backfired for the Minister of Science, Technology and Innovation. The man has had a steady salary and also minister posts that has been compensated. So, I am not feeling sorry for the man. His been a wealthy man, he owns land and building a mansion in the hills of Kampala. Therefore, its not like his in a sorry bankrupt state. He just want his loyalty points paid-off, because he knows that how the state works.
The Minister and MP, soon former MP, unless he can overturn the judgement and get another verdict. That doesn’t negate the issues at hand and what has been revealed over the last 48 hours. The shade and the glass has already been shattered. You cannot undo the mess created.
It wasn’t shocking that he would go out and defend his deeds. If he didn’t he wouldn’t be true to himself and what he did. The action made, the usage of funds and expectations that the President and the state foots the bills of his campaigns. Shows the dire problems of the state. Just like the verdict itself. That the state have used funds on 6 By-Elections without legal justification nor the Constitutional backing. Meaning, the unlawful actions shouldn’t be celebrated, but be a reminder of what sort of state is in play. They did this and played it out, but they was still outsmarted. The losers are both the constituents and the MPs self.
That Elioda has really lost twice in this. Is a shame, but his own making. Nobody, unless it is revealed too. That he resigned the post out of loyalty and out of perseveration of the State House. That the “high above” directed him to run, as he was a sure bet in the Sheema Municipality, after standing as a candidate since 2000. He wouldn’t loose, where his represented for close to two decades.
That the doctor didn’t find the remedy nor the cure to his own problems is evident. Elioda doesn’t seem to get that, but in the state of affairs he would get away with it. The President and his team would bail him out, as his one of them and has been for over two decades. The doctor and MP might have a loss now, but don’t be sad for him. His been eating and steady eating. The mouth is full, if not his spoiled and wasted the funds. That’s why his begging for money to cover him. Even as he has land and mansion.
Who knows what else he has procured or own as an MP for this long. He can surely have earned his fortunes and not only used it on campaigning in the past. It is hard to believe a man like him being broke after all those years, all the kickbacks, all the suits and cars bought for him. Not like he haven’t gotten paid for voting over the years in the Parliament together with allowances and whatnot. He has gotten millions upon millions of shillings.
I don’t feel sorry for Elioda. Elioda made his own bed and he got to sleep in it. Peace.