By Micheal Atwakiire
Sheema: After the Electoral Commission outed the 2021 election road map, five people people from Sheema South constituency have already showed interest in pulling out cabinet Minister for tourism Prof. Ephraim Kamuntu from parliament .
Some of those who want to oust Kamuntu are; Prof. Elijah Dickens Mushemeza, former Sheema South MP, former NRM Electoral Commission chairperson and now the General Secretary Sheema district, who comes from Kasaana sub County.
Mushemeza is a popular businessman in Sheema South constituency and most of his businesses are based there. They include two secondary schools, two primary schools, financial banking institutions and many others.
Nickson Tugume has also showed interest in the same post of MP. He hails from Ryakasinga ,Shuuku Sheema South.
It is alleged that Tugume, a retired security officer, owns companies which export workers to the United Arab Emirates. Nowadays he spends much of his time meeting and associating with Sheema South constituency residents and so many youths have already followed him, although it is alleged that many who are behind him are after the money he keeps splashing.
However, some who had followed him at first have already channeled back to their political camps for their own reasons.
Eng. Yorokamu Bategana Katwiremu the chairperson NRM Sheema district also wants Kamuntu out. Katwiremu was in parliament as Sheema South MP for two terms. He hails from Kitagata sub county Sheema district and in his last term of 2011 – 16, it is alleged that he disappointed many of his voters since in 2015/16 NRM primaries he emerged fourth.
Emmanuel Kawengyere , a young energetic politician who is less than 30 years old from Rwamunena Shuuku Sheema South, last elections contested for the same seat and was the last with not more than 400 votes.
This time round he vows to contest as independent, saying that there is a lot of mafiarism in NRM primaries.
Prof . Kamuntu has also showed interest. Currently Kamuntu is a resident of Sheema municipality, not Sheema South, although the constitution of Uganda allows him to contest in Sheema South constituency.
He has been the Minister since late Milton Obote’s regime up to now. His competitors usually advise him publicly to retire from politics and give young blood chance to take over but he keeps telling them that a family head can’t look for an heir when he is still alive; that they should therefore wait for him .
Due to pressure exerted on him by competitors, he is usually seen attending functions in his constituency especially during weekends. Leaving other factors constant, Kamuntu has his unique ways of attracting voters to support him through slaughtering for them cows at each sub county .
For the past years Kamuntu has been getting over 70% votes from Shuuku and Bugongi,. However, recently over 60% of Shuuku people, those in his own village inclusive, were taken to Sheema municipality, meaning that most of his votes reduced. Another problem came after he got a serious competitor from the remaining Shuuku voters, which had never happened before. This left so many questions on people’s lips.
