Big Story: Ambassador Kinobe Attributes NRM Loss in Luwero to Poor Service Delivery

Uganda’s Ambassador to Sudan James William Kinobe has blamed the National Resistance Movement loss in Luwero district on poor service delivery and internal conflicts among party leaders.

Luwero District has been a haven for National Resistance Movement candidates and President Yoweri Museveni since 1981-1986 when he launched a liberation war.

However, in 2021 elections, Museveni scored the least votes in the Presidential elections after he obtained only 41,166 votes (27.94%) and National Unity Platform Party Presidential candidate Robert Kyagulanyi Sentamu scored 103, 782 votes (70.45%).

NUP also swept all Members of Parliament, LCV Chairperson and eight LCIII Chairperson Seats among other lower position leaving NRM pondering the future of the party in its former cradle land.

Kinobe the former Katikamu North Member of Parliament for 13 years explained that the loss of the party was as a result of a protest vote over poor service delivery, fights among local party leaders and disconnect with local youths among other problems.

He says that residents are bitter that the district has lagged in development compared to other areas despite their contribution to the liberation struggle.

Kinobe explained that the residents have spent over 25 years asking for district hospital and recently the Ministry of Health elevated Luwero Health Center IV to hospital status but the infrastructure development at the facility is not yet up to the standards.

He adds that some of the town councils do not have tarmacked roads and the district operates in poor structures among other things which put NRM party in a bad light.

Kinobe further explains the NRM message of fighting for peace no longer matters to the youths who are unemployment and struggles to survive.

He, however, noted that even the District NRM leaders who could explain the available achievements by the government are embroiled in conflicts and others chose to contest as independents.

Kinobe warned NUP candidates who won the seats to cooperate with Central Government which is dominated by NRM to improve service delivery or else they will suffer same defeat in next elections.

Emmy Ssemugabi the LCIII Chairperson of Luwero Sub County has asked the government to find ways to improve service delivery than blaming the loss on tribalism.

Another NRM mobiliser Sam Mulwana the Male Workers representative at Luwero district council says that he believes that the area has not benefited much from the government and people had justifiable reason to vote against it.

Recently voters at polling stations where Museveni scored least votes in Luwero said that they voted against him over poor service delivery and failure to end land grabbing.

Museveni scored least votes from Nakasero O-Z polling station in Wobulenzi town where he obtained only 14 votes (6.9%) whereas Kyagulanyi got 185 votes (92%) of 201 valid votes cast at the polling station.