In our series detailing the men and women who have been instrumental in Museveni’s campaigns and eventual election victories in 1996 and 2001, today Eagleonline brings you the ‘king makers’ from the Busoga and Bukedi regions, writes Steven Mandu.
Busoga
Nathan Igeme Nabeta
He joined Parliament in 2001 to represent the people of Jinja Municipality East. He was later appointed Minister of State for Trade and Industry. He played a tremendous role in mobilizing support for Museveni in Jinja in 2006 and 2011.
Gagawala Wambuzi
Nelson GagawalaWambuzi was the State Minister for Trade and Antiquities from June 1, 2006 until May27, 2011. In the cabinet reshuffle he was dropped and replaced by David Wakikona.
GagawalaWambuzi also served as the MP for Bulamogi County, Kaliro District, for fifteen (15) consecutive years, from 1996 until 2011, losing his parliamentary seat to Kenneth Lubogo, an Independent politician, who is the incumbent MP. However, much as he lost the parliamentary seat, the role he had played in mobilizing support for Museveni in Busoga cannot be underestimated.
Beatrice Zirabamuzale Magoola
She hails from Iganga and she served as the Woman Member of Parliament for Iganga. A one-time MP, ZirabamuzaleMagoola also served as Minister of State, Office of the Prime Minister, in charge of Luwero Triangle.
Justine Kasule Lumuba
A teacher by profession, Kasule Lumumba rose to the post of Acting District Inspector of Schools in her home district of Bugiri.She also worked as a Senior Education Officer at the Uganda Ministry of Education until she joined politics in 2001, serving as the district Woman Member of Parliament, Bugiri under the banner of the National Resistance Movement (NRM).
She has been re-elected ever since and in May 2011, she was appointed Government Chief Whip, serving in that capacity until December 2014, when she was appointed Secretary General of NRM. Kasule Lumumba has been very instrument in getting votes for the President in 2006 and 2011.
Aggrey Bagire
A teacher-cum-politician, AggreyBagire hails from Mayuge District. He served as the Agricultural Extension Officer for Iganga District, and then as Chairperson of the Mayuge District Service Commission from 2002 to 2006, the year in which he joined politics, contesting for the parliamentary seat of Bunya Country West, Mayuge District on theNational Resistance Movement ticket. In 2009, he was appointed Minister of State for Agriculture. During the 2011 he lost to Vincent Bagiire, the incumbent MP, first during the NRM primaries and again in the general election, when he stood as an Independent. He was very active in campaigning for Museveni in Mayuge.
Moses Kizige
Moses Kizige was a Member of Parliament for Bugabula North a position he lost in 2006. A seasoned diplomat, Kizigewas one of the people that could be relied in terms of mobilizing for Museveni in Kamuli and he did exactly that both in 2006 and 2011.
Isaac Musumba
Isaac Musumbahas worked as a Principal Legal Officer in the Ministry of Finance, moving to the Uganda Revenue Authority as the Administrative Commissioner from 1991 until 1993.
A lawyer, MrMusumba is married to Proscovia Salaam Musumba, the Forum for democratic Change (FDC) Vice Chairman Eastern and Kamuli LCV Chairperson.
In 1994, he was elected to the Constituent Assembly that drafted the 1995Ugandan Constitution, serving in that capacity until 1995. He was elected to the Ugandan Parliament in 1996 to represent Buzaaya County, Kamuli District. He was re-elected in 2001 and in 2006. During that time he had stints as State Minister for Planning and at Foreign Affairs (Regional Cooperation) He lost the seat in 2011 to Martin Muzaale and was subsequently dropped from cabinet. Until recently he was the Board chairperson of the Uganda Registration Services Bureau (URSB).
With such influential postings Musumba became very popular and this enabled to play a key role in mobilizing for the President especially in Kamuli.
Bernard Mulengani
He is currently a member of the East African Legislative Assembly elected on the NRM ticket. He also did a lot in campaigning for Museveni in 2011.
AsumanKyafu
AsumanKyafu was the LC5 Chairman for Iganga District and a very important figure in campaigning for Museveni in 2006 and 2011.
AhamedKawugu LC5
James Kubekeretya
ShabanNkutu- LCV ChairmanIganga
Peter Ocheing
Ruth Tuma
MagidDhikusokaBatambuze
AlupakusadWamulongo
Bugwere
SalehKamba
SalehKamba is the Member of Parliament for Kibuku County Kibuku District. He has served as State Minister for Foreign Affairs and Office of the Prime Minister in the Ugandan Cabinet in 2011 although Parliament refused to confirm his appointment.
Jenifer Namuyangu
Loy Kiryapawo
Steven Malinga
Dr. Mutono
Taligola
Luis Opange
Bunyole
Jacob Wangolo
He is the Member of Parliament for Bunyole county West where he was elected on the NRM ticket. He is one of the people who worked tool and nail to ensure Museveni gets votes in Bunyole.
Haji badruWegulo
Haji BadruWegulo was a Uganda Peoples Congress die heard where he held different positions including that of the Vice President. However in 2010, he defected to the ruling National Resistance Movement together a fellow UPC colleague, Henry Mayega. Much as he was a new entrant, he played a vital role in campaigning for Museveni in Bunyole.
Emanuel Otala
In 2006, he entered politics, contesting for the parliamentary seat in his home area on the (NRM) political party ticket. He won that seat and served as the area MP, from 2006 until 2011. In the 2011 national elections, he lost that seat to Jacob ObothOboth, an Independent politician, who is the incumbent. Dr. Otala served as the State Minister of Health for Primary Care in 2006. In February 2009, Dr. Otala was appointed State Minister in the Ministry of Labor however in a cabinet reshuffle on 27 May 2011, he was dropped from the cabinet. Being a Minister he played a graet part in soliciting support for the President in his area.
Phoebe Otala
She hails from West Budama and she is the National Vice chairperson of the NRM women league.
Sanjay Tana
Sanjay Tana joined Ugandan politics in 2006 when became the Member of Parliament representing Tororo Municipality a position he still holds. He is popular man in Tororo and he is one person that Museveni has to rely on to get support from Tororo.
Fox Odoi
Hon. Fox Odoi is the current Member of Parliament for ………. Having been elected in 2011 on the NRM ticket. Prior to that he worked in state house where he was a legal assistant.
TangaOdoi
Dr. TangaOdoi who hails from Tororo District is lecturer of history at Mkaerere University. He is has been active in activities of the National Resistance Movement and during election time he is always busy on the ground soliciting for support for Museveni. He is the current NRM electoral Commision chairman.
ObothOboth
Jacob ObothOboth is the current Member of Parliament for West Budama South. Although he was elected as an independent, he reasoned that it was because he was rigged out in the primaries. He was among the people that ensured that Tororo votes go to Museveni.
AkisofeliOgola
OsindeWangolo
Steven Mangeni
Simon Mayende
Currenetly he is the Director of Information and Nationa guidance in Office of the Prime Minister. Although he lost his parliamentary seat in 2006 to Maganda he played a significant role in canvasing for votes for the President in 2006 and later in 2011.
Gabriel Opio
Between 1993 and 1996, he served as a member of the National Resistance Council for Samia-Bugwe constituency in the then Tororo District. In 1996, he was elected to the Ugandan Parliament, representing Samia-Bugwe South in the newly created Busia District. In 1999, he was appointed State Minister for Finance, responsible for planning and investments, serving in that position until 2001 when he lost his parliamentary seat to Simon Mayende.
Between 2002 and 2006, prior to his appointment to the Gender portfolio, Opio served in various capacities, including as Director of National Water Sewerage Corporation, Director of Centenary Bank, and Commisioner of the Uganda AIDS Commission.
In the national election cycle of 2011, he lost his parliamentary seat of Samia-Bugwe South to Julius Maganda, an independent political candidate who is the incumbent MP for the constituency.
Edward Wabudi
AggreyAwori
He was the Minister for Information Communications Techology in the Parliament , from 16 February 2009 until 27 May 2011. In the cabinet reshuffle of 27 May 2011, he was dropped from the cabinet and replaced by RuhakanaRugunda On account of his cabinet post, he was anEx Officio Member of the Ugandan Parliament.
Prior to that, he had represented “Samia-Bugwe North”, in the Parliamant , from 2001 until 2006. Awori was previously an outspoken opposition Member Parliament for the Uganda Peoples Congres (UPC) political party. In 2007, he abandoned UPC and joined the rulingNational Resistance Movement political party.
Elgon
James Mutende
He began his career as a teaching assistant at Makerere in 1987, during his final undergraduate year, continuing in that role until 1989. From 1989 until 1994, he worked as a manager of one the branches of then government-owned Uganda Commercial Bank. From 1988 until 2009, he worked with the Uganda Investment Authority as an Investment Officer. From 2003 until 2005, he pursued his doctorate in New York, while working part-time Assistant Professor of Economics at The New School. . In 2006 he lost the NRM Primaries to contest in the MbaleMuniciplity Member of Parliament race . With this background he was instrumental in supporting Museveni in Mbale and that why in 2011, he was name State Minister for Industry.
Lydia Wanyoto
She represented Uganda in the East African Legislative Assembly from 2001 until 2011 when she was blocked from contesting in 2012. She has a strong background in the NRM having been recruited by James Wapakabulo when she worked as an assistant in his oppice when he as the speaker of Parliament. In 2011, she was on the NRM Election commission committee. She has been very vital in canvassing for support for the President in the Elgon region which had been infested with opposition as a result of NandalaMafabi.
Hassan Galiwango
Hassan Galiwango is currently working in the NRM secretariat. After the death of Wapakhabulo, he attempted to represent people of Mbale Municipality but lost to WanjusiWasieba. None the less,he has been Museveni supporter and mobiliser in Mbale especially the Municipality which is associated with opposition.
Charles Wagidoso
Charles MadboWagidosi is Uganda’s Amasador to the republic of China. He was among the people that played a very vital role in campaigning for Museveni in 2006 and 2011.
LumoloMafabi
LomoloMafabi hails from Sironko District and he is a business man. Given his financial muscle he worked very hard to mobilize support for Museveni in Mbale which was taken by FDC’s strong man NandalaMafabi.
WambiKibale
David Wambi Kibale served as the LCV for sironko district until 2011 when he lost to FDC’s James Nabende. Wambi played a big party in campaigning for Museveni both in 2006 and 2011.
Olive Wonekha
Currently, she is Uganda’s Ambasador to the United States of America. She joined politics when she was elected Woman Member of Parliament for Mbale District from 2001 to 2006. She later shifted to Bududa which had been newly created in 2006 where she was elected the Woman Member of Parliament. Although she was ousted in 2011, the role she had played in campaigning for Museveni cannot be underestimated, the reason she was appointed ambassador when she lost elections in 2011.
Sebei
BatireToskin
Chemaswech
Juma Seiko
Capt. Juma Seiko is an aide to Gen. Salim Saleh who is also the President’s brother.e is a very influential man in sebei and a king maker for that matter. He has always been very instrumental in mobilizing for the President in Sebei.
Robert Chemonges
RukiaChekamando
She has worked as a teacher since she obtained her first teaching certificate in 1986. Between 1993 and 1995, she served a matron, at Bilal Islamic Institute, a school in Kampala. She joined politics in 2006, contesting for the KapchworaDistrict , Women’s Representative Constituency on the NRM political party ticket. She won, and on 1 June 2006, she was appointed Minister of State for Privatization. During March 2011, she lost her parliamentary seat and during May 2011, she was dropped from the cabinet in a reshuffle. Irrespective of her losing her parliamentary seat, she had done a lot in terms of campaigning for Museveni in Sebei.
