8 NEW VISION, Tuesday, November 3, 2015 ELECTIONS The road to State House: meet the presidential aspirants As the road to State House starts to take shape, David Lumu brings you profiles of presidential aspirants who are set to appear before the Electoral Commission to either get a green light or the proverbial red YOWERI KAGUTA DR. COL. KIZZA MUSEVENI BESIGYE On Wednesday, January 26, 1986, The 2001 elections looked like President Museveni, then aged the major ticket to State House for 42, took oath as the 9th president Besigye. However, things did not of Uganda. Standing on the front work out. The Forum for Democratic GIVING A VOICE TO THE IMPORTANT ISSUES portico of the Parliamentary Change strongman will now be Building, Museveni said he had taking on Museveni for a fourth brought a fundamental change. time. Before he even re-gains his To some National Resistance political groove to face the 2016 The Electoral Commission has set the Movement (NRM) supporters, this landscape, Besigye’s move to campaign period for presidential elections promise of a fundamental change consolidate the Opposition base from November 9, 2015 to February 10, coupled with the revolutionary has been fractured by the entrance 2016. Nomination of the ten candidates mission of peace and stability is of independent candidate Amama kicks-off today at Mandela National what endears them to Museveni, the Mbabazi. In fact, some observers Stadium, Namboole. After the nomination NRM party presidential fl ag-bearer say instead of strategising on how process, which ends on Wednesday, the for 2016. Developing the road to wrest power from Museveni, the Electoral Commission chairperson, Eng. sector, market expansion through opposition has spent most of the Badru Kiggundu and team, will meet all regional integration, fi ghting ideological disorientation, eliminating time trying to negotiate Besigye out of the political arena in favour of the successfully nominated candidates to sectarianism, improving education to refi ne human resource and Mbabazi.This is going to be the fi rst campaign that Besigye engages harmonise their campaign programmes. democratic governance are some of his focus points. in when his base has been shaken by equally formidable new-comers. AMAMA MBABAZI MAJ. GEN. Until he broke ranks with PROF. VENANSIUS NRM and President Museveni, BARYAMUREEBA BENON BIRAARO former prime minister and Just like Besigye, Maj. Gen. ex-NRM secretary general, Born in 1969, Prof. Benon Biraaro joined the Mbabazi was one of the major Baryamureeba, the former Luwero bush war struggle government players. Even Makerere University vice- that brought NRM to power when all factors indicate that chancellor today goes to in 1982. he is clearly out of the party, Namboole for nomination. Born in 1958, Biraaro, the Mbabazi still suggests that The ambitious professor of president of the Farmer’s he is a member of NRM- computer science will have Party rose through the although he is running as an jumped the fi rst hurdle on ranks of the National independent. the way to his dream —State Resistance Army — from Born in 1949, Mbabazi will House. a secretary of the High today present his political According to his manifesto, Command and National credentials before the Electoral Baryamureeba will work out Resistance Council in 1984 Commission and eventually a power sharing political to commander of Senior proceed to Nakivubo Stadium concept where all regions will Staff College, Kimaka and to talk to his supporters. be semi-autonomous under deputy chief of staff in the Mbabazi’s eight-point programme touched on job creation, the federal system of governance. present day Uganda People’s Defence Forces (UPDF). Away transformation of the economy, improving healthcare, good In 2001, Baryamureeba contested for the Ibanda South from the UPDF structures, in 2007 Biraaro also served as a governance, rule of law, provision of quality education and a parliamentary seat and lost. He attributed his loss to rigging. diplomat at the African Union headquarters in Addis Ababa, greater deal of consolidation of the gains of NRM. Ethiopia. DR. ABED BWANIKA NASSER NTEGE JOSEPH MABIRIZI SEBAGGALA They say to learn politics; you Sorting out corruption is the must be patient and tenacious. Born in 1947, Sebaggala’s main thesis of Mabirizi’s This might be true for Abed journey is that of an entrance into the presidential Bwanika, the president of the ambitious man who race. He is the candidate for TIC People’s Development Party. jumped over hurdles, — a coalition of 17 independent Born in 1967, Bwanika is a rebukes and nature’s presidential aspirants dubbed veterinary doctor. And true destiny to defi ne his path. The Independents Coalition. to his profession, Bwanika’s In various interviews, The 40-year-old pastor was major proposals in all the “Seya” as he is populaly born to the late Maale Joseph, a previous attempts have been known, a former mayor mechanic from Busega Kampala on modernisation of agriculture of Kampala, has promised and Alice Mary Nabulya. He and livestock farming. to transform the trade holds a diploma in electrical Bwanika will be nominated on system of the country, by engineering from Mengo Wednesday by the Electoral building more markets Technical Institute. He is due to Commission, paving way for his for poor people to earn a be nominated on Wednesday. third try at the presidential bid. living. MAUREEN FAITH KYALYA Busoga sub-region, where until recently she CHARLES BBALE LWANGA WALUBE worked as a presidential advisor. Walube describes herself as an activist. Today, the Electoral Commission will also nominate Bbale Lwanga of the Ecological Party of In a race of nine male contenders, Walube is She started her political career in FDC, Uganda. If all goes well, Lwanga, the former treasurer of the African Greens Federation, will the only female. She has worked on major before crossing to NRM. She will be running be on the ballot from which Ugandans will select who their next president will be. poverty alleviation initiatives, especially in as an independent candidate. .