Michael Timuzigu has said that he won’t be seeking reelection to parliament in 2026.
The Kajara County MP has this in the corridors of parliament while speaking to urban tv media house, a subsidiary of New Vision.
“I’m one of those people who would like to serve my people only two terms. I can come back at a certain point out of need, when I discover that I need to serve them more. But, it was my plan not to serve more than two terms.” The 48yr old two term MP said.
This was however followed by opinion divided between praise and lashing for the MP and politicians at large.
Using a story by the New Vision from 2019, Godwin Toko, an activist quoted Bugweri County MP abdu Katuntu saying that he’d promised not to run in 2021.
“After serving FOUR uninterrupted terms in @Parliament_Ug, Abdu Katuntu said something similar in 2019. Sadly, he reneged on his words & participated in a campaign so violent that someone was killed.
I believe there’s an EVIL SPIRIT in our politics that entraps participants.”
However, most comments on the Timuzigu pronouncement were quick to note that he was rather aware of the ground and could not risk breaking the norm of the constituency.
Aarons Mwesigye commented “Kajara has de facto term limits like Mbarara City formerly Mbarara Municipality where STRICTLY one term is enough as Kajara offers 2 terms!”
Mark Munywanisa replied; “Great gesture , but those Kajara MPs know it well that they have term limits , he knows the resistance he would have faced if he attempted to go for another term.”
Bressbihiika replied to New vision;
“No one has ever served Kajara more than 2 terms and again, the top NRM leaders in Ntungamo don’t like him bse he said no to togikwato since then things changed.”
It is hard to tell whether Timuzigu’s decision has thus been informed by personal discipline or political culture in the constituency.
Political culture
Whereas some members of parliament have held their constituencies for decades, other constituencies have routed their representatives periodically.
In Kajara forexample, Ruhemba Kweronda represented them from 1996-2001.
2001-2006, they were represented by Herbert Muntuyera.
2006-2016, they sent Stephen Tashobya. Who was replaced by incumbent Michael Timuzigu.
A similar culture seems to have taken root in Nyabushozi county, Kiruhura district. After Elly Karuhanga represented them in the 6th parliament, they recalled him in 2001, sending Mary Mugyenyi.
In 2011, they replaced her with Col. Fred Mwesigye. Come 2016, Col. Mwesigye went through unopposed, but was thrown out acrimoniously in 2021 through repeat elections and allegations of attempts to rig.
Whereas some constituencies have espoused such character, others like Kazo had John Nasasira for 27yrs.
Bright Rwamirama has led isingiro north since 2001, Rebecca Kadaga for Kamuli district since 1989, Lwemiyaga county has had Theodore sekikuubo since 2001, Betty Among has held Oyam south since 2001, Okot Ogong has had Dokolo south since 2001, Nandala Mafabi with Budadiri South since 2001, and Abdul Katuntu in Bugweri since 2001 among others.
