From the time FDC’s Ingrid Turinawe announced that she would contest for a seat in the East African Legislative Assembly, it was evident she was headed for a stiff challenge. The polls, set for February 28, will see parliament elect Uganda’s nine representatives.
The FDC secretary for mobilization is an outspoken political activist and one of President Museveni’s biggest critics. At the same time, she has alienated some of her party members who see her as the leading proponent of the Dr Kizza Besigye-led defiance campaign. Many of these FDC members believe the campaign is intended to undermine Maj Gen Mugisha Muntu, the party president.
This could partly explain why she tallied behind Florence Ibi Ekwau, the former Kaberamaido MP, in the Eala party primaries. The Kaberamaido FDC community closely associates with Gen Muntu.
Turinawe’s latest challenge is wooing MPs from the ruling NRM party as well as independents. Yesterday, Hanifa Kawooya (Sembabule Woman) Alex Byarugaba (Isingiro South) and James Kakooza (Kabula) started a campaign to convince fellow legislators not to vote for Turinawe.
Kawooya even confronted Turinawe at the parliament canteen, where she had gone to lobby for support from amongst the MPs. Turinawe later retreated to the bar area where she engaged FDC’s Mubarak Munyagwa.
Similarly, Muhammad Nsereko, the Kampala Central MP, has been openly urging fellow MPs not to elect Turinawe. Among other things, Nsereko accuses Turinawe of being behind a group of youths that dropped piglets at parliament bearing names of legislators, including his.
OPTIMISTIC
Despite this grim outlook, Turinawe remains optimistic.
“I have an agenda. I have a programme and I have shared it with all MPs who are going to vote. Whoever is alleging that I abused him or her should adduce evidence. [Muhammad] Nsereko went around the TVs and radios saying that I abused him, he has no evidence. I just ignored it because it is not true. He has his own troubles with me. I will go on focusing on my campaign,” Turinawe said.
She added: “For me, I am a politician. I have been nominated by my party and I am in the race. I don’t care what anyone thinks or wishes to say. I cannot be threatened by anyone. Nobody owns parliament, no body owns the other’s vote. Whether he or she says they cannot vote for me, it does not mean that I am waiting to get 100 per cent votes. I will win but I will not get 100 per cent.”
She says those who do not want to vote for her are entitled to their choice but this will not get her out of the race, neither will it stop her from winning.
Whereas Turinawe is renowned for her mobilization skills, she has not replicated this success in elective politics. She lost in her bid to become Rukungiri Woman MP and Rukungiri municipality MP in 2011 and 2016 respectively.
For her bid to be successful, Turinawe will have to scoop one of the two slots reserved for the opposition parties.
ekiggundu@observer.ug