Rukungiri residents shout "Besigye" name of Amama Campaign Rally

By 3pm, it was clear that Rukungiri, Kizza Besigye’s home turf, was going to be a hard ground to settle on for independent Presidential candidate, Amama Mbabazi.

Before his arrival, the number of people walking out of the Rukungiri stadium was bigger than those who were walking in, with a majority jubilating and shouting Dr Kizza Besigye’s name.
Mr Mbabazi, who was expected to arrive at 4pm, showed up at 6pm.
Just as he was about to start talking, a Fuso truck full of rowdy youth parked near his platform with its occupants continuously flashing the victory sign and cheering each time he mentioned Dr Besigye’s name. The same truck was previously driving around town, its occupants shouting out Temangalo.

In 2008, Mr Mbabazi and business partner Amos Nzeyi sold about 460 acres of land in Temangalo to NSSF at Shs11b. However, Parliament absolved the two. Nevertheless, the land transaction has remained political fodder for opponents against the former prime minister.






In all the areas he visited in Rukungiri, there were calls from the audience for him to join the FDC Presidential candidate Dr Kizza Besigye.

“Besigye and I have been in talks several times on unity. We have a commom goal,” he responded to the crowd, without explaining further.

The Democratic Alliance failed to choose one joint Opposition candidate between Mr Mbabazi and Dr Besigye.
At the sidelines of one of the rallies in Kabale, Ms Hope Mwesigye, the Go Forward’s field operations’ boss blamed the poor turn out and reception in Kigezi, Mr Mbabazi’s region, on the demobilisation by state agents.

Mr Mbabazi addressed his first rally at Nyarushanje trading centre in Rubabo constituency (the birth place of his wife) at around mid-day later driving to Bwambara Sub- county.
He made stopovers at Omukiyenje and Kebisoni in Rubabo and Bikurungu in Rujumbura. He arrived at Rukungiri stadium at 6:20pm and addressed a rally of about 800 people at Rukungiri stadium in Rukungiri municipality.

Mr Mbabazi will take a couple of days this week to prepare to announce his campaign task force and is expected to be back on the trail on Wednesday with a visit to Ntungamo, Isingiro, Mbarara and Kanungu districts. He will thereafter take his campaign to central region.

Reaction to Mbabazi’s campaign in Rukungiri




“Mr Mbabazi’s message is progressive. He is talking of uniting with Dr Besigye. What we want to achieve is change. Since they are talking of uniting when we go for a re-run, we shall then have good ground to cause change.” Mr Kahigi Benard, Rtd head teacher

“It would have been better if the two candidates were campaigning together, it would not have divided the vote. But if they campaign without attacking each other, we see a chance of them uniting to cause change.”Betty Akatwijuka, Nurse

“As Pentecostal bishops, we realise that president Museveni does not respect us. We have gained nothing from NRM yet we have supported it for long. I support Mbabazi because this must end.” Melchizedek Rugogamu , pastor

“We still advocate a peaceful change, we want our democracy to grow. What Besigye and Mbabazi are saying is what grows democracy. Museveni is trying to pull out the roots by facilitating war. I am impressed that Mbabazi is now talking about unity of the opposition” Kashobera John, Chairperson Northern Division Rukungiri Municipality