KAMPALA – The Democratic Party has replaced rejected Beatrice Kayanja with veteran renowned actor and play director, Charles James Ssenkubuge in the race for the 2021 Kampala Lord Mayor.
Kayanja’s nomination was brought to a shocking termination by the Electoral Commission last week after she was rejected as she did not have Ugandan Citizenship, wasn’t in the voters register among other reasons.
After his nomination at the Electoral Commission offices in Ntinda where he was accompanied by fellow dramatists Andrew Benon Kibuuka and Aloysious Matovu Joy, Senkubuge revealed that he is ready to work with any president the people of Uganda would have chosen to see that everyone enjoys their stay in Kampala.
“If they announce today that Kyagulanyi has won, I will work with him, if they announce Amuriat, Biriggwa, H.E Museveni, I will work with all of them. I am here to serve the people of Kampala who have nowhere to sleep,” he said
Senkubuge said he left acting a long time ago, and held a ceremony where he announced that I had quit acting, showing the fans ‘Siasa the second’ as Leilah Kalanzi Kachapizo.
“I acted in dramas, I love them a lot, I know them but I am no longer an actor. I have not come into the race to act. The people who are actually acting are those in the race that I have come to sweep. We want to see people who are doing something for the people of Kampala and unfortunately we are not seeing this. We are seeing posturing, ‘Kaundaism’ (Kaunda was a president of Malawi who was crying all the time and people stopped saying crocodile tears and started saying them Kaunda tears,” he explained
According to Senkubuge, ‘SIASA’ is a Swahili word that means politics and he is going to be using it more often now that he is into active politics.
He explained that he does not need to be judged for his past mistakes where he opted out of the presidential race in 2001.
“In the laws, there is what we call double Jeopardy meaning that you cannot punish someone in one case twice. I dropped out of politics once, when I went back to contest in Busiro I did not opt out and I finished the race. My people in Nakawuka love me a lot but they denied me the parliamentary seat then because they were disappointed by the fact that I had dropped out of the presidential race.”
The veteran dramatist is making a third try in politics after he stood for the Busiro MP sit and the presidency before opting out citing insecurity and threats that were targeting his life in 2001.
Ssenkubuge who is currently the General Manager of Salt Media, a Christian radio and television owned by controversial Pastor Bugingo has been at heart of Uganda’s theatre for about three decades.
He says that over the 30 years he has lived in Kampala City, he has discovered that Kampala residents are highly disgruntled people, sad and tired.
“I am the only candidate and the people of Kampala have been yearning for me. I have been astonished by the welcome people have given me in the city on this day one. It practically shows they have been tired but lacked a suitable option. Other candidates have been in the city for over 15 years but have not made any impact,” he shared.
The legendary actor looks at himself as the sure way of changing people’s lives for the best as he is offering himself for Lord Mayorship as his final attempt to bring real happiness and joy to the people of Kampala.
“I hope to attain this by cleaning the mess around us, and by creating an integrated self-sustaining city. With well-lit streets, public toilets, where plans will be devised to make it possible for all to work in the city without being chased like criminals.”
According to DP lawyer, Erias Luyimbazi, the party decided to front Senkubuge because he fits perfectly in the current political environment in the country.
“Senkubuge is a senior citizen of this country, he has worked in Kampala for many years and made connections with so many people of all social classes and that is a candidate that DP and Kampala needs.” Luyimbazi said,
The dramatists who escorted him for the nomination revealed why they chose to take his side and not that of their fellow artists Joseph Mayanja and Daniel Kazibwe who are also in the same race.
“Senkubuge was the first person that showed people that an artist can do this and that when he contested for the presidency in 2001. He broke the record as the first artist to knock on the door of State House,” Andrew Benon Kibuka said.
Aloysious Matovu Joy also said supporting Senkubuge is nature because he is his bother.
“Blood is thicker than water and now I am supporting my brother and I am sure he will do just what we want.”
The Kampala Lord Mayoral race now has 11contestants and three of these are artists. These are Joseph Mayanja alias Jose Chameleon (independent), Daniel Kazibwe, better known as Ragga Dee (NRM) and Senkubuge on the DP ticket.
