Africa-Press – Uganda. With confidence radiating from his every word, Yona Musinguzi, the incumbent MP for Ntungamo Municipality, says his seat is safe ahead of the National Resistance Movement (NRM) party primaries on July 18.
While he stopped short of formally declaring his re-election bid, Musinguzi told in an interview that he is responding to a popular demand from voters who have urged him to continue serving.
“By God’s grace I’m coming for another term. It is a request from my people,” he said.
Describing the upcoming race as a landslide in his favour, Musinguzi said he has never encountered an easier campaign.
“This category is like a landslide victory. I’ve never seen any simple election like this one… I won them the other time. I’m going to beat them even this time, because I don’t think they’re up to the task,” he said, dismissing his opponents’ ability to connect with voters or challenge his record.
He outlined his role on the Legal and Parliamentary Affairs Committee, emphasising his contribution to key legislation and resistance to laws he viewed as detrimental to ordinary Ugandans.
“I’ve been one of the key players in any law that goes to Parliament. What benefits the voter, the Ugandan, I have been part of. What is not good, I have always said no. For example, I have said no to the Coffee Bill,” he said.
Musinguzi also recalled his role in exposing corruption during the COVID-19 pandemic, including his pursuit of Minister Monica Musenero over alleged mismanagement of Shs150 billion.
“I think I’m proud that I had a big research on Musenero who tried to steal 150 billion of COVID-19. And I thank all other MPs who joined me to fight corruption,” he said.
He noted that Parliament’s oversight role is one he has taken seriously, especially when it comes to following up on allocated funds.
“Our work doesn’t end at budgeting… You have to follow the money that you have appropriated, from the central to the last unit.”
One such case involved road construction funds in Kyamate.
“We sent a billion [shilling] to the municipality. People had wanted to swindle the money. Every time I would go and ask them, ‘Where is the road?’ The money had disappeared in the computers,” he said.
After getting no answers from municipal officials, he escalated the matter to the Minister of Local Government.
He also pointed to his resistance to the controversial introduction of street parking fees in Ntungamo town.
“They were collecting close to Shs60 million per month and remitting only Shs500,000 to the account of our municipality. The town had really closed. People were not parking their cars in town. You would stand on one street and see no car at all,” he said.
Musinguzi claimed he received threats for standing up to the contractor behind the arrangement.
“The contractor told me, ‘I will shoot you.’ He sent messages that ‘I will charm you.’ But I cannot be intimidated by a human being who has done wrong.”
Within the NRM party, Musinguzi said he has also gained ground, citing his election as district vice chairperson, deputising First Lady Janet Museveni.
Once an opposition-leaning figure during his days as Deputy Mayor of Kampala, Musinguzi said he is now fully committed to the ruling party.
“Today, I can die for my party and my people know that,” he declared.
He expressed deep appreciation for the peace Uganda has enjoyed under President Museveni’s leadership, saying it gave him a strong reason to support the President.
Reflecting on the suffering of refugees, he said, “Every time I see these buses—50 buses following each other, written UNHCR—and I look inside, sometimes I shed a tear. Those are people from Congo, from the Central African Republic going to Nakivale. Peace is edible. You can eat peace.”
Among the development projects he highlighted was the tarmacking of Matooke Market, equipping a maternity ward after 12 years of neglect, and advocating for better roads in Ntungamo.
He said one of his biggest remaining ambitions is to secure funding for the construction of a modern central market.
In a final message to his constituents, Musinguzi quoted from the Bible: “To my voters in Ntungamo I want to give you one verse. It’s in Micah, chapter six, verse three. It says, ‘My people, what wrong have I done to you? Have I offended anyone?’”
He said his commitment to public service is grounded in integrity and duty.
“I take service above my stomach and above self, and I’m ready to do anything for my people so long as it benefits them, and God knows that.”
For More News And Analysis About Uganda Follow Africa-Press
