Renowned Daily Monitor Publication correspondent for Ntungamo and Rukungiri districts Perez Rumanzi has been fully nominated to contest as Ntungamo Municipality MP on Forum for Democratic Change (FDC) to unseat the incumbent Gerald Karuhanga who is contesting under the Alliance for National Transformation (ANT) ticket.
Before joining Daily Monitor on August 9th, 2006, he worked for Red Pepper from 2004 – 2006 Mbarara and later joined Radio West in 2006 – 2012 in a morning show – Owakutangaheru and and acted in a Radio play Binshobeire.
He will be facing the incumbent Ntungamo Municipality MP Gerald Karuhanga who is on ANT ticket, Yonah Musinguzi Bikwasizehi the NRM flag Bearer, Bishanga Moses Kafumba, Ampereza Hillary and Edward Beyendeza Bekunda all independents.
Speaking to the press shortly after nomination, Rumanzi noted that it was regrettable for Parliament to remove term and age limits in the 1995 Constitution promising to agitate for its restoration.
He challenged fellow journalists across the country to involve themselves in active politics saying that it’s high time for them to participate because there was time for poetry, writers, and musicians in Apartheid in South Africa and now it’s time for journalists to contribute a brick to the development of their country.
Rumanzi appealed to the fellow candidates in the race to promote sanity rather promoting violence because the election is of ideas but not violence.
Other journalists nominated today included Namanya Santrina Kachene who pledged to advocate for the less privileged people especially the voters of Ruhaama East County “who have been left behind for so long.”
Kachene, who is also Manager Boona FM Rukungiri, noted that with his exposure to the community he could not contest in any political party.
He noted that he is coming to reclaim his victory since in 2016 general elections were marred by violence and cheating and that therefore, he stood again to serve the people of Ruhaama East and his symbol is a Radio.
Isaac Nuwagaba an ex employee of Vision Group Kabale also pledged to create more jobs for all people through the restoration of Ankole Kingdom which was abolished in 1966 by former president Dr Milton Obote.
Nuwagaba said that after the abolition of Kingdoms in Uganda, other kingdoms were restored and are being supported by the government with funds but Ankole Kingdom was never restored.
The nominations ended peacefully at exactly 5:00PM with 24 candidates nominated save for one aspirant, Robert Muhangi an independent candidate for Kajara County due to late coming according to the District Returning Officer Robert Beine.
Beine told journalists that Muhangi came late he couldn’t nominate him because the law allocates time till 5PM.
Muhangi’s plea for mercy or the extension of nomination days to enable others who wish to contest to participate in politics fell on deaf ears.
