Politics
Onen Corners Oboth as Muhoozi Visits West Budama Central
Passion and tension are high in West Budama Central County in Tororo district as the constituency prepares for the visit of the Chief of Defense Forces (CDF) Gen. Muhoozi Kainerugaba, on the 31st of August 2024.
The incumbent Member of Parliament (MP) Jacob Oboth, and cabinet Minister for Defence has organised a thanksgiving ceremony for his appointment to the cabinet, that is also inadvertently a launch of his reelection bid in 2026.
However, the visit of the CDF has caused an unwanted challenge from fellow MP and competitor for the constituency seat come 2026.
Odoi Bernard Onen, the sitting MP representing Youth of Eastern Uganda in the August House, and a diehard Muhoozi supporter has also joined the preparations for the CDF’s visit, causing rancor in the Oboth camp.
Onen has organised his supporters in youth and women groups to welcome the CDF, and showcase how he has helped the people get into the money economy. From boda men, to market women, and self-help saving groups.
But shades that the Youth MP had constructed for boda-boda stages that this paper had seen were vandalized by Oboth supporters.
An elderly Oboth mobiliser, Mzee Oyoo Osiagah was captured on amateur video trying to vandalise stalls built by the Youth MP, inviting the wrath of a youthful crowd that almost lynched him.
“I will come back here and remove these stalls. …I will make sure it goes down…we don’t need this here.” He is heard swearing as he is led away by sympathetic bystanders.
Mzee Osiagah gestures as he swears to pull down the stalls under construction
Mid this year, the Youth MP announced that he would challenge Oboth for the seat, threatening to dethrone the minister.
West Budama Central has got four sub counties and 2 town councils and a total voting population of about fifty thousand (50,000) as of 2021 general elections.
The constituency has since been torn between the youth MP Onen and minister Oboth, with Onen being fronted by the greater Mulanda area that has Mulanda Sub County, Mwello Sub County, and Pajwenda TC.
Oboth’s base is from his home area of greater Nabuyonga which has the three sub counties of Nabuyonga Sub County, Nabuyonga TC, and Siwa Sub County.
The attempt by Onen and his team to mobilise for the welcome of the CDF at Siwa Primary School, in Siwa Sub County has thus been seen as a full throttle challenge by the Youth MP on the Minister, and all force is being unleashed to scatter his efforts.
Oboth almost lost his place in Parliament in 2016, when Emmanuel Otaala’s wife Phoebe Otaala came for the West Budama South seat that her husband had lost to Oboth in 2011. In 2021, the Electoral Commission curved out West Budama Central which Oboth won and returned to parliament.
“Oboth is just trying to save his career by bringing the CDF to the constituency in the disguise of thanksgiving. He was appointed in March, why now? He has felt the heat and wants to use General Muhoozi to survive.” Onen told Margherita News
He added; “But Gen. Muhoozi is our leader as youths. And the youth and women of Budama West Central are solidly behind me and him. Oboth’s time is over, and he must accept that humbly. Fifteen years in parliament is enough. Unfortunately, his people have nothing to show for it.”
Oboth is the longest serving MP from Tororo district, having served since 2011 without losing an election.
Youth at a boda stage in Mulanda say that this is a good chance for them to bring a candidate that can lead the county in Parliament.
“Nabuyoga has had their sons Akisoferi Ogoola and Oboth as MPs during the NRM government. Greater Mulanda, the historical subcounty has not had any of our sons represent the constituency. God has given us Onen, and we are asking them to also support us.”
It is said that even the Prime Minister Robinah Nabbanja will grace the occasion.
