When the National Resistance Movement (NRM), Uganda’s ruling political party, completes its primary election of parliamentary candidates next week, we shall be able to critically evaluate those who seek to represent us in our respective constituencies.

Four constituencies whose MPs represent my personal interests are on my radar.  Ndorwa East is my paternal ancestral home. Kabale Municipality is my maternal ancestral home, my place of birth and primary education.  Rukiga County has been my primary residence in Uganda since infancy. Ndorwa West will likely be my retirement home, God willing. 

The current parliamentary representatives of my four constituencies are Catheline Atwakiire Ndamira (NRM, Kabale District Woman Representative), Caroline Kamusiime (NRM, Rukiga District Woman Representative), Wilfred Niwagaba (Independent, Ndorwa County East), Roland Ndyomugyenyi (Independent, Rukiga County), Nicholas Thaddeus Kamara (FDC, Kabale Municipality), and David Bahati (NRM, Ndorwa County West.)  

Kamusiime, Ndamira and Bahati, the three NRM legislators, are facing formidable challengers for the NRM flag. From everything I am seeing, hearing and reading, these three are probably not sleeping well. And that is as it should be, for stiff competition is a very healthy process. One hopes that the NRM will overcome its addiction to rigging, violence and other election malpractices that deprive their declared winners of the dignity and respect that ought to be theirs. 

I do not care whom the NRM chooses to be parliamentary flag bearers in these four constituencies. I do not even know any of them enough to pass judgement one way or the other. However, once the NRM’s exercise is over, I will keenly study that party’s candidates and their opponents in these constituencies, and subject all of them to objective evaluation to determine whom, if any, I should support. As usual, I will do this without emotion or partisan consideration. That is how I always assess candidates for parliament here in Canada, where I do not belong to any political party. 

I never see MPs as my bosses. I consider them to be my employees, whose brief is to represent me in parliament. Their political party label is important only to the extent that their election platform may be consequential to my interests. Otherwise, I look for the person whose character, intellect, integrity, understanding of my constituency’s needs, communication ability, and track record recommend them to be my employees in parliament. 

This is an attitude that I urge Ugandans to adopt. The day Ugandans stop dancing and singing for these candidates for parliament, the voters will assess them from a position of strength. Candidates should be the ones that sing and dance for you. This can only happen after you stop accepting their bribes. Then you will be in the election driver’s seat, and you will effectively interview them for the employment they seek from you. You will confidently ask the incumbents and their challengers to show cause why they deserve your vote. They, in turn, will think twice before lecturing you and making false promises. 

One of the reasons for poor representation in parliament has been society’s elevation of MPs to royal status, complete with worshipping them in response to the token, inconsequential bribes that they use as a substitute for discharging their constitutional responsibilities.  Roofing churches or donating things like hoes and desks and computers do not transform society. T-shirts and caps and alcohol and a few shillings do not change individuals’ lives. They certainly do nothing positive for the community. 

I expect my MP to fight for my constituency and region to get government funding for big infrastructural projects like roads, factories, technical colleges, and hospitals. I do not expect my MP to use their personal money to fix bridges or roof a church or support weddings and funerals of constituents. I expect them to peacefully, eloquently and effectively fight to bring us job-creating projects.

Rukiga District, for example, is one of the most neglected parts of Uganda. The sub-counties of Kashambya, Rwamucuucu and Kamuheesi (Kamwezi) have no tarmac roads. The District Headquarters at Mparo is accessible by an excuse for a road that is barely better than a cattle path. Belinda sub-county has twelve kilometres of tarmac, eleven which were the work of the Obote 1 government (1962-1971). The negative socioeconomic impact of Rukiga's very poor roads cannot be overstated.  

My current MPs and their electoral opponents should keep their personal money and trinkets. The orgy of bribing voters will not uplift our neglected district. What we need are serious and effective efforts to persuade the executive to tarmac our miserable roads and watch how the people of Rukiga transform our area the way people in many parts of Ankole, for example, have done because of those marvellous roads in their region. 

 Citizens should demand that MPs act as our honest watchdog over the executive to ensure that our money is not stolen, squandered or abused. They should engage in honest legislation that is driven by a desire for justice for all Ugandans. They should not sit in parliament as court dancers and praise singers to the Speaker and the President, or as blind opponents to the Government without regard for the interests of the people whose votes earned them the big salaries and upper-class lifestyle.

Serving with honour demands honesty, discipline, hard work, thorough research and study before they open their mouths in parliament or into any microphone anywhere. Homilies and empty declarations add nothing to citizens’ lives. Data-driven discourse and well-considered presentations may positively impact governance and offer hope to citizens.  

Whereas I strongly believe that citizens should support and work with their elected MPs during the life of any parliament, it is now our right and duty to subject the incumbents and their opponents to rigorous, objective and emotions-free interrogation to assess their strengths, achievements, and weaknesses. Why do they deserve to be elected or re-elected to parliament?  

This is the question that NRM voters should ask before casting their ballots next week. It is the question that voters should then ask Niwagaba, Kamara, Ndyomugyenyi, and whoever wins the NRM primaries in the four constituencies and the two districts.  This, of course, is the question that should be on every voter’s mind in every constituency in Uganda. It is a question the candidates must answer verbally with clarity, not with bribes to voters who have been conditioned to sell their votes for next to nothing. 

© Muniini K. Mulera