IGANGA–Thousands of voters braved a heavy down pour in Iganga Municipality on Monday afternoon to listen to President Museveni as he canvassed support for Brenda Suubi Asinde the NRM flag bearer for the district woman MP.
The rain started just minutes before the Party National Chairman arrived at his 4th and last rally held at the district headquarters. It lasted 26 minutes but the excited voted remained dancing to the tune of the NRM songs until it stopped.
NRM Secretary General Justine Kasule Lumumba and area MP Peter Mugema (Panadol) danced throughout the rain period, a gesture that kept the crowd entertained and therefore remained at the venue.
At all rallies, the Party Chairman officially introduced Asinde to the voters and asked them to vote for her on Thursday.
“Send me Asinde Brenda Suubi. She is our NRM candidate,” Museveni told the jubilant supporters.
He outlined a number of government achievements in the sub region that included tarmacking Jinja-Tororo, Iganga – Tirinyi, Jinja – Kamuli, Iganga – Kaliro and Magamaga – Mayuge-Namayingo roads among others. The President promised more details when he appears on the radio talk shows tomorrow evening.
Lumumba hailed her flag bearer Asinde Brenda for being a unifying factor in Iganga. Lumumba said Asinde’s candidature had brought together so many rivaling factions in the district and asked her to keep the mission going.
She further commended her for sacrificing her resources on rehabilitating defunct boreholes and drilling up new ones before she even expressed interests to contest.
Asinde is popularly known here as ‘Maama Maadi’ (literally meaning ‘mother of the water’), a name derived from her long time struggle to ensure clean water to the constituents.
In her speeches, the candidate hailed the party chairman for sacrificing time to come and drum up support for her. She pleaded that Iganga hospital be elevated to a national referral hospital since it serves a wider area.
She said the hospital was also stuck with a UGX 200m electricity bill and called for the government support.
On arrival at the first rally in Nakigo, the President caused prolonged excitement as he held the candidate’s newly born boy child before he posed for a group photo with both parents. The district NRM chairperson later revealed that the child had earlier been named Kaguta Swahab.
Asinde gave birth on September 4 at 9am but was even able to address her afternoon rally on the same day. This act has been described by many here as a sign of a devoted leader. The district goes to polls this Thursday to decide their next Woman MP.
