Kampala, Uganda | URN | Although there are 457 MPs in the 10th Parliament of Uganda, only 427 are actively in the field campaigning to return in the 2021 elections.
At least 30 Members of the 10th Parliament are not seeking to return to the next Parliament after they willingly exited the race or were defeated in the party primaries and didn’t contest as independents.
Half of the 30 MPs are those that were defeated in the National Resistance Movement [NRM] primaries while 8 opted not to contest as MPs.
Some MPs who opted out are, Minister of Foreign Affairs Sam Kutesa who fronted his daughter Shatsi Kutesa Musheru, Minister of Local Government Raphael Magyezi who opted out, and Mbale Municipality MP Jack Wamanga Wamai who decided not to contest.
Others are; Florence Namayanja, the Bukoto East MP who has opted to contest as mayor, Winnie Kiiza, the Kasese Woman MP who joined the Alliance for National Transformation [ANT] and Judith Babirye, the Buikwe Woman MP who traveled abroad.
Of the five youth MPs, only two, Ishma Mafabi the Eastern Youth MP and Oscar Omony the Northern Youth MP are not returning while others are seeking to contest for directly elected or woman MP seats.
Our reporters spoke to some of the MPs who said their next move is to live a private life while others have opted for business. Jack Wamanga Wamai, a former diplomat and MP Mbale municipality says that he decided not to contest because the matter had become full of conflicts.
He says infighting in the Forum for Democratic Change [FDC] caused a lot of problems and he chose to opt out. He says he was personally attacked because of his stand on the Mbale forest land giveaway to expand the city.
Wamai was in support of giving away the forest while other party members and leaders in Mbale strongly opposed the give away of the Mutoto forest to allow developers expand Mbale town.
Wamai says this conflict made him to decide to step down and concentrate on private business.
Oscar Omony, the Northern youth MP is one of the NRM MPs who decided not to contest after losing in the NRM primaries. Omony contested against Tonny Awany for the Nwoya MP seat and lost, but decided against running as an independent candidate.
He says he will now resort to business and farming, a passion that runs through the family.
Charles Ilukor, the MP Kumi County says that he is done with elective politics. He says after losing in the NRM primaries, he recalled he had made a promise to the people that he would serve only one term. He says he therefore decided to drop the ambitions of returning as an independent candidate and now will go for private business.
Ilukor says he is not a career politician and most of all he has accomplished his vision. He says as an accountant, businessman and farmer, he will go back to where he was. He says he is lucky to be out of Parliament because it is troublesome.
The MPs are entitled to salary until May when the new parliament comes in.
MPs not returning to Parliament
Robert Kyagulanyi, Kyadondo East, Sam Kutesa, Mawogola North, Winnie Kiiza, Kasese Woman MP, Judith Babirye, Buikwe Woman MP, Raphael Magyezi, Igara West MP, Jack Wamanga Wamai, Mbale Municipality, Nabila Naggayi, Kampala Woman MP, Isham Mafabi, Youth MP Eastern, Florence Namayanja, MP Bukoto East.
Evelyn Anite, Koboko Municipality MP, Charles Ilukor, MP Kumi County, Oscar Omony, Northern Youth MP, Mary Karoro Okurut, Woman MP Bushenyi, Musumba Isaac Isanga, Buzaaya MP, Moses Kizige, Bugabula North MP, Nakate Lilian, Luwero Woman MP, John Bosco Lubyai, MP Mawokota South, Abraham Byandala, the Katikamu North MP, Peace Kusasira.
Read Also: Uneducated people in Uganda demand their ministry and 5 seats in parliament
Mukono District Woman MP, Benny Namugwanya, the Mubende Woman MP, Amos Mandera, Buyamba County MP, Michael Tusiime, Mbarara Municipality MP, Lawrence Bategeka, the Hoima Municipality MP, Muruli Mukasa, the MP Budyebo County.
Mayanja Mbabali, Bukoto South MP, Henry Okello Oryem, Chua East MP, Grace Kwiyucwiny , the Woman MP Zombo , Adolf Mwesigye, MP Bunyangabu County, John Byabagambi, Ibanda South MP and Gabriel Ajedra, the Vurra County MP
