Kampala

With the cameras rolling on a historic Friday night that brought together the six Kampala mayoral candidates in a debate, they all seemed staggering, pausing for a painful six seconds, fumbling through a couple of false starts, then settling on the highlight of the day: their plans for Kampala.

It was a stormy face off in a debate that lasted for more than three hours of intense and thrilling issue-based contest that produced no eventual winner, but glorified by participants as timely, educative and informative. The Kampala mayoral debate came six days to the general elections expected on Febraury 18.

Three panelists, Dr Afuna Adula, an environmentalist, Ms Dorothy Tuma, an entrepreneur, and Eng. Merion Tebabinganya, a traffic consultant, were there to steer the momentous mayoral debate hosted by entertainment personality “Dr Mitch”—Ronnie Egwang.

To set off the pace, each candidate was given at least five minutes to detail their manifestos—outlining their plans for Kampala, a city some of them described as “sick” and “messy”. amid cheers from their supporters, all candidates agreed on one thing: “there is a big problem in Kampala”.

As debate advanced to a critical stage, there was drama as Mr Erias Lukwago, who unexpectedly took on his political nemesis Peter Sematimba who throughout the encounter faced a torrid time to explain himself on the allegations of corruption and his academic credentials in a 10-minute question and answer session.

Armed with documentary evidence —the government White Paper on Global Fund money, Mr Lukwago put Mr Sematimba on the spot by questioning his moral authority in the fight against corruption. Mr Lukwago accused the NRM mayoral candidate of being one of the suspects who were implicated in the abuse of Global Fund money for people living with HIV/Aids, Malaria and Tuberculosis.

Mr Lukwago also said Mr Sematimba submitted fake qualifications to the Electoral Commission, a claim Mr Sematimba described as wolokoso —meaning tittle-tattle. The document, shared with Mr Sematimba at the podium amid heckling and chanting from an explosive audience, a copy Sunday Monitor saw, indicates that Mr Sematimba was awarded a Christian degree of Advanced Diploma in Theology from the International College of Excellence.

Mr Babu was not spared either, for asking Mr Sematimba to control his supporters whom he accused of turning the debate into a rally and heckling him during debate. The supporters, who were embroiled in a scuffle with the police guards, followed Mr Babu after the debate and nearly fought.

Lukwago’s takeMr Lukwago, who is currently the Kampala Central MP, promised to fight corruption and change the current tax system, which he said is unfair and stiffles development of Kampala city. Mr Emmanuel Tumusiime enthralled the audience when he described Kampala as “a sick city” and insisted that due to lack of a strong and transparent leadership Kampala dwellers sleep and walk in sewage. “The problems we see in Kampala are mere symptoms to a much bigger leadership challenge,” Mr Tumusiime said. “If elected a mayor I will ensure sharing of resources by stopping corruption—we need a garbage free city.”

When Ms Sandra Katebalirwe took to the podium, she asked for an opportunity to bring what she called “a motherly sensitivity emotion” to the management of Kampala city she said had gone to the dogs due to politics in the city. “The people of Kampala are tired.we need a performer not wolokoso— a lingo used to describe a loquacious person. I am a mother and a business woman. Kampala needs to be managed like a business entity and remove politics from the city management affairs.”

Amid cheers from his supporters Mr Sematimba faced a torrid time to explain his academic qualification and corruption allegations relating to the misuse of Global Fund resources. however, the NRM mayoral candidate denied any wrong doing and moved to clear the air on his academic papers claiming that he owns a “Bachelors degree in computer engineering and electronics”.

Mr Michael Mabikke, the MP for Makindye East, once elected Kampala mayor, promised to work on the potholes in the City through a coordinated infrastructural plan to reduce congestion. Mr Mabikke also promised strategic intervention to reduce urban poverty though job creation and education reforms in the city.