Devine Atwine
Kisoro
“Separate emotional issues from facts. Failing to separate opinion from facts costs you credibility with the public” says Bob Woodward, a senior international journalist in his famous lecture ‘5 Key Types of Journalism. Had Woodward come across a story similar to that by Darious Magara on the East African Watch, an online newspaper in Uganda on 18th July 2024? Kindness sticks me to forgive him for his poor English and inadequacy of expertise and instead focus on the falsehoods in the story, taking no.9 as an example! Read the story at https://eastafricanwatch.net/mps-of-western-uganda-who-will-not-be-re-elected-in-2026/
First and foremost, Darious’ informant (I am sure he didn’t go to the ground) must have reported on another constituency, not Bufumbira South. Alex Niyonsaba a first-timer in Parliament still holds his grip on the ground. Below are impeccable reasons Super, as Hon Alex is fondly called, will bag a resounding victory come 2026.
- The historical personally funded achievements
- Despite the impedance of COVID-19, his first three years have given resounding personally-funded achievements. To start with,140 M ambulance, Except for Dr Mateke who lobbied for one from Japan, no MP in Kisoro has ever bought such a class of ambulance that is acceptable by the Ministry of Health Standards.
Important community Bridges like Nyagakenke (20M), and Ruhango-Bunagana (27), have enabled farmers to transport their produce to markets more easily.
- Initiating the start of Bufumbira South Vocational Institute. After political detractors demobilized the community of Muramba against hosting this project on Rwerere govt land, Super has personally purchased about 4 acres in Chahi for over Shs 400M. Hadn’t this project been hindered as discussed above, construction would almost be done!
- Important Health posts, which communities had started were/are being finalized. Among these are Mbuga Health Post(30M) and Gatete Health Post (25m).
- Weaknesses of the competitors
First is Darious Magara’s Kawogo sponsor, Mzee Sam Bitangaro. He has participated in every constituency election since 30 years ago, losing twice and winning as many times as he has lost. Young voters seem to approve of the old African saying that even the best dancer finally leaves the stage, which is why they no longer want to hear this name. Some voices are suspicious that he would never come back if, in the rarest case scenario, he wins the seat in 2026. And by the way, even his age is gradually raising an orange traffic color. Even most of the voters opposed to Hon Alex would rather have fresh blood than the old and tired man.
The other feeling on the ground is that Bitangaro has not made an investment in Kisoro. Investing in a place is one of the gauges to whether one loves that area. We hear that most of his investments are in Tooro and Kampala. Let Darious Magara show us even a poultry pen by his darling so that we know he has a heart for Bufumbira.
- The Shaming and dirty deals as exposed in 2020.
One of the reasons Bitangaro lost the last election despite being riding on the back of some religious fanatics, was the 2020 alleged corruption scandal involving theft of Shs 3bn leading to the arrest of Bitangaro, Lawyer Owor Onyango, William Tumwine from the Ministry of Gender. Read more of this case here https://kampalapost.com/content/former-minister-bitangaro-three-others-jailed-over-fraud. Does Magara think that voters will forget this embarrassment, especially at a time when similar cases are causing arrests of government officials? Never. We are also still investigating why Bitangaro, despite owning a law firm, seldom practices law in courts of Uganda; is it because he is occupied with soliciting deals in and against the government? On the contrary, not even a router has heard of Niyonsaba Alex’s involvement in scandalous deals.
- The issue of being ‘quiet’, maybe he meant ‘quiet’, does Darius and his eastafricanwatch.net know that most of the parliamentary businesses are handled in committees? Do they also know that Alex is the current Chairperson of the Parliamentary Committee on Science and Technology? How can you say such a person never speaks? But be it as it may, does the writer of this biased story know that the recent scorecard put Alex in the third position among the Mps of Kisoro even though he is the first-timer?
No amount of blackmail and double-standard reporting by any media house will detract voters of Bufumbira South. And if all the other constituencies in Darious Magara’s story were sampled in the same spirit, then I have no reason to trash someone’s feeling that the story lacks credibility and should be read with disgust and /or contempt. And if anyone relied on the report, they should grit their teeth and cut the frills.
The writer is a resident and a registered voter in Bufumbira South
