By Andrew Irumba
A section of Tooro opinion leaders led by Front For Good Governance (FGG), pressure group leader Joram Bintamanya aka ‘Ogwekyoma’ are extremely bitter that the Tooro sub-region that used to produce crem-de-la cream of national leaders has now been turned into a mere celebratory ground for 1st family’s birthday fetes and propaganda machine. Mind you, the first cabinet of NRM after they captured power in 1986 was constructed from Fort Portal-Mucwa hall, before driving to Kampala.
Bintamanya and colleagues’ anger was ignited by two NRM leaning former aspirants for Member of Parliament seats in Fort Portal City who this week announced plans to mobilize the masses in Fort Portal for a belated 48th birthday celebration for Lt Gen. Muhoozi Kainerugaba the Commander of the Land Forces of the Uganda People’s Defence Forces (UPDF), an event slated for this May 5th.
The two leaders organizing these celebrations include; Judith Mukiidi, who contested for the Woman MP seat but lost to Linda Irene.
Another organiser is David Kazooba, who contested for the city’s North Division MP seat but lost to Margaret Muhanga. Muhanga, sister to mortal mouth veteran journalist, Andrew Mujuni Mwenda, is currently the health state minister. Mwenda is one of the top executive members on national organizing committee of Gen Muhoozi’s birthdays across the country.
In case you didn’t, Tooro sub-region produced national brainy leaders like the late Nobel Mayombo, Professor Akiiki Mujaju, Hon.Tom Butime, Prof.Peter Kasenene, Beatrice Kiraso among others.
Bintamanya, a former district councillor now says it’s a shame that such a sub-region has now been reduced to celebrating birthdays whose intentions they don’t even know.
Bintamanya is not alone, he is joined by Kihunde Sylvia a former Women Parliamentary candidate Fortportal City, Herbert Mugisa and Magezi Snob Mapapa who are former Division Chairpersons, Musa Ali a Division Councilor, Central, Nyakato Rusoke a National Coordinator for Alliance for National Transformation (ANT), Kakuru Thomas, Coordinator for National Unity Platform (NUP) Fortportal.
Others working tirelessly to foil Muhoozi Birthday celebrations include; Kenneth Kaliba Councilor Central Division, Kobusinge Juliet Councilor Central Division, Prosper Businge who is the Secretary for Finance Fortportal City.
“Huum, Irumba, hati ebi biki mazima? Tooro nuho bantuhikya hanu?” Loosely translated as-“Irumba, what’s this now really? Is this how low we have become as a region? Next we shall be in-charge of their kitchens and toilets,” Furious Bintamanya said.
Meanwhile, as Muhoozi diehards warm-up for the celebrations, Bintamanya and the team vows to stage a parallel rally to counter the celebrations. Bintamanya and group think the celebrations are just a diversionary from national issues. “These people are playing diversionary politics, unfortunately our Batooro here are just following like sheep” he added.
The group has also called upon fellow Batooro to boycott the birthday celebrations saying they have key issues affecting Tooro which should be addressed first before thinking about luxurious parties.
Also, Bintamanya asked the Batooro to remember that Tooro is bigger than those organizing the celebrations to attract cheap popularity from the first family.
“Let’s boycott this nonsense and curse all those organizing this event to attract cheap popularity from the first family, if they think they are party diehards anyway, why don’t they mobilize funds to take their colleague, our Councilor Fortportal Central Division Hon. Gibs Kenneth to India for treatment,” noted Bintamanya.
