SEMBABULE.
Maverick retired army officer Brig.Gen Emmanuel Rwashande has defied the Office of the President and vowed to go ahead and hold a political rally at a school playground in Lwemiyaga Town Council, Sembabule District.
In a letter dated March 26, 2025 addressed to Mr Faisal Sseruwagi , the Sembabule deputy resident district commissioner , Hajj Yunus Kakande , the secretary in the Office of the President ,had advised Gen Rwashande to postpone the event or change the venue insisting that Lwemiyaga Model Primary playground is not suitable for a political rally because it is within the proximity of two schools –Lwemiyaga Church of Uganda Primary School and Lwemiyaga Secondary School .Gen Rwashande want to use the planned Friday event to launch his campaign for next year’s parliamentary contest to unseat incumbent Lwemiyaga County MP Theodore Ssekikubo .
Hajj Kakande’s correspondence was in response to Mr Sseruwagi’s March 25 letter where he sought guidance on how to manage the anticipated tense political function in the area .
“ …we are reliably informed that a one Brig . (Rtd) Emmanuel Rwashande and colleagues have organised the above public function on a working day which may antagonise the learning students at Lwemiyaga Secondary School, Lwemiyaga Sub County .
We are afraid that students at this school may not only mix up with the public during and after the event, but also may engage into sexual intercourse that may infect them with diseases or else cause insecurities to students /school ,” Mr Sseruwagi said ,adding “ Moving forward sir, this office proposed that either the organisers reschedule the event to a weekend /holiday or else find another venue .”
In his letter Hajj Kakande responded : “ …the purpose of this letter is ,to inform you that ,the reasons advanced are prudent and genuine .Therefore ,it is to advise that , the event as proposed ,should be rescheduled or shifted to another venue to avoid any unnecessary inconveniences ,”
But Gen. Rwashande has since vowed to go on with his planned rally insisting that it was cleared by Inspector General of Police Abbas Byakagaba said his function will go on as scheduled insisting that no one can stop it . “I asked for clearance from the Inspector General of Police and it was granted, so , no one can stop our function ,” he vowed
Rwashande has the support of powerful soldier and former UPDF Army spokesperson Maj Gen (Rtd) Phinehas Kaitirima who hails from Sembabule and President Museveni ’s younger brother Michael Nuwagira aka Toyota, the chairperson of Patriotic League of Uganda (PLU) ,which was formed by first son and Chief of Defense Forces Gen Muhoozi Kainerugaba .
Toyota and Kaitirima were initially backing former junior minister for transport Joy Kafura Kabatsi to challenge Ssekikubo ,but it is not clear why all of a sudden chose to front Rwashande . Like it has been the case during previous rallies organised by Kabatsi ,Toyota is expected to be the chief guest at Gen Rwashande’s Friday rally.
Apart from Rwashande and Joy Kabatsi ,the former state minister for transport ,there are other people who will tussle it out with Ssekikubo including ; Edmond Bwire Nuwagaba, the chief executive director N+B Global Logistics ,John Patrick Kateeba ,a certified financial analyst , Geofrey Tumusiime Ndengana, a lawyer , Migadde Juugu Amooti ,Kato Jacob Mwesigye and Dr Asaph Tumwebaze.
Apart from Tumwebaze ,who is independent , the contenders subscribe to the ruling National Resistance Movement (NRM) which is dominant in the area and the winner is usually known during party primaries . It remains to be seen whether Gen Rwashande will go ahead and hold the rally at the prepared playground or will choose another venue .