With the Electoral Commission setting its road-map for the 2021 elections, The Capital Times will be conducting polls in different electoral Districts at different intervals and here are the results from Sheema for the positions of Members of Parliament and LC V Chairman.
Former Uganda Revenue Authority Customs Boss Dickson Kateshumbwa, Prof. Elijah Mushemeza and Hon. Jacklet Atuhaire Rwabukukuru are some of the few lucky politicians on track for a Landslide Victory in the coming 2021 By-Elections and too close to call for Former Canon Kabigumira David and Hon. Kibaju Naome according to polls we’ve so far carried out across the district.
In what could be seen as a clear cut shift from the old guard aka Stakeholders, we’ve learnt that voters of Sheema Municipality are hell bent on effecting a fundamental change in their representation by voting retired Commissioner of Customs at Uganda Revenue Authority, Mr. Kateshumbwa Dicksons aka ‘Katesh’.
Katesh, the new kid on the block in elective politics is tussling it out with the established Minister of Science, Technology and Innovation – Hon. Dr. Elioda Tumwesigye, who has represented both Sheema North and Sheema Municipality since the 6th Parliament replacing the elderly Hon. Sir. Richard Kaijuka in 2001. However, the Municipality voters have indicated that they want total change in their constituency from the current establishment pitting the renowned World Bank consultant Mr. Joseph Mwebesa whom the voters blame for throwing his wife at them.
Other candidates in the Municipality race include; recently retired Permanent Secretary, Local Government Ministry Mr. Patrick Mutwabwire, High Court Advocate and Education Entrepreneur Mr. Kamukama David with a big number of voters still undecided.
In the Women’s arena, there is big indicator that the incumbent Woman Member of Parliament, Hon. Jacklet Atuhaire Rwabukurukuru has maintained a substantial projected advantage to win the upcoming elections with a massive margin over her nearest rival, Commissioner Rosemary Nyakikogoro according to the latest from the online polls conducted over the weekend.
If the election were held this week, the poll estimates that Hon. Jacklet’s odds of securing the 2021 seat in the 11th parliament are more than 95 percent, and by a margin of more than 18% of the expected votes. This is the first of the series of polls to be conducted during this election and the projections seem to be high based on the reactions from the voters in the district.
Information obtained from the survey indicates that the majority of women are happy with the personal interventions by the Woman MP whom they claim she has been reaching to the village level as opposed to past scenarios going all the way to the time when Sheema was still a county in Bushenyi District and for this, they are more than ready to vote Hon. Jacklet back to parliament.
The voters also believe that Hon. Jacklet has linked the women of Sheema District to many opportunities through sensitization, skilling and vigorous campaigns of ensuring education and food security as the foundation for increased household income generation, hence raising confidence among the voters with a belief that her second term in parliament will yield a lot more for the District.
In the Sheema South race, the polls indicate that the former Vice Chairman NRM Electoral Commission, Prof. Elijah Dickens Mushemeza has a big chance to be re-elected to parliament following consecutive defeats from his re-known political rival but personal friend, Prof. Ephraim Kamuntu, the Minister of Justice and Constitutional Affairs. Voters contend that Prof. Mushemeza has the right attitude and experience to replace the aging NRM Stalwart Prof. Kamuntu who has been at the helm of the constituency interchangebly since 1980. Hon. Mushemeza enjoys a 10% lead over his rivals with the undecided voters standing at 18%, the highest in the district polls.
For Sheema North, it is too close to call with the 2 reknown opponents of the incumbent Hon. Kibaju, all holding 20 points from the sample. This is so close with the incumbent leading at a meagre 34% at the start of the electoral campaign. This means there is a lot needed to dent the support of the rivals in order to have a comfortable lead.
Finally, the race is so tight for the position of District Chairman with the highly experienced Local Government Legislator and Educationist Hon. Jemimmah Buhanda aka Mummy going toe to toe with the incumbent Chairman, former Canon David Kabigumira. From the poll reactions, voters are disappointed with the lack of strategic leadership at the District in comparison with the Municipality and other areas in which policy initiation at the District has been limited according to sampled voters. Former Vice Chairman, Mr. Eldard Mwesigye is third place, a massive 16 points from the leader at the beginning of the electoral campaign with the undecided standing at 11 points.
