Number of former presidential candidates vying for MP seats grows

Former Makerere University Vice Chancellor Prof Venansius Baryamureeba is the latest former presidential candidate to throw his hat in the ring for a parliamentary seat.

On July 17, Baryamureeba announced he will seek the ruling National Resistance Movement (NRM) party’s flag for the Ibanda Municipality parliamentary seat.

NRM’s Tarsis Bishanga Rwaburindore is the incumbent MP.

Baryamureeba was a candidate in the 2016 presidential election but performed dismally, including in Ibanda Municipality which he seeks to represent in Parliament.

He would later officially announce that he had joined the NRM, whose Chairperson is President Yoweri Museveni.

Baryamureeba explained why he was dropping a higher ambition to pursue a parliamentary seat.

“In the developed world like USA, when candidates run for the Presidency and lose, they don’t contest again. They instead serve in the Senate or other top political organs,” he wrote.

“That’s my position too. Examples include Mitt Romney and the late Senator John Sidney McCain III.”

BARYAMUREEBA TO DONATE MP SALARY

He said “100% of the emoluments and other benefits from Parliament over the five-year term will go to Ibanda Municipality to supplement government initiatives and improve the quality of social services( education and health).”

These benefits will include the official MP car. If elected, Baryamureeba pledged that the money would go to a Constituency Fund which Ibanda Municipal Council Leadership would manage.

“This fund will be used to educate all teachers in primary and secondary schools in the constituency up to degree level, educate nurses to diploma / degree level,” he revealed.

“The rest of the funds shall be used to support organized groups like SACCOs for youth, women and other organized groups aimed at wealth creation and economic empowerment.”

OTHER FORMER PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATES SEEKING MP SEATS

Baryamureeba is not the only former presidential candidate that is seeking election to a lower office.

Former aspirant, now lands minister, Beti Olive Namisango Kamya is planning to reclaim the Rubaga North seat from Moses Kasibante of the Democratic Party (DP).

Other hopefuls for the Rubaga North seat include former MP Singh Katongole of NRM and KCCA speaker Abubaker Kawalya of main opposition Forum for Democratic Change (FDC).

Three-time presidential candidate Pastor Abed Bwanika is reportedly eyeing Masaka City’s Kimaanya-Kabonera parliamentary position.

Samuel Lubega Mukaku is also said to be preparing for a parliamentary election.

Also, former vice president Prof Gilbert Bukenya, who announced presidential ambitions in 2016 but dropped out of the race to support Museveni, is reportedly eyeing Busiro North seat.