The Forum for Democratic Change (FDC) second Vice Chairperson Proscovia Salaamu Musumba has revealed that she will be facing off with the country’s second most powerful woman after President Museveni for the Kamuli district Woman MP seat come next year.
Ms Musumba made the statement of intent last week when she personally picked nomination forms from the party’s headquarters in Najjanankumbi.
The announcement will come as a shock to many who have studied the politics of the region over the years. The two are known to have been close allies as demonstrated between 2011 and 2016 when Musumba served as Kamuli District Chairperson. On numerous occasions, they would be seen at public functions in each other’s company with Musumba often addressing the Speaker of Parliament as “My elder sister,” with pride as locals applauded in contentment over the beaming unity.
Ms Kadaga, who is the Speaker of Parliament, has been the Kamuli District Woman Member of Parliament since 1989 when the National Resistance Council (NRC) was expanded to allow non-historical members of the NRM to join the House.
Even though Kadaga has faced some challenging contests on the road that has seen her dominate Parliament for two and a half decades, with Mariam Kalikwani in the 1990s and Naikoba in the late 2000s, Musumba will most likely be the fiercest challenger given her unchallengeable political experience as a former MP for Bugabula South and Chairperson LCV coupled with nearly 15 years at the top leadership of FDC – the county’s biggest opposition political party.
By choosing to cross Kadaga’s path, Musumba must be in the best position to know the challenge she has set for herself. Kadaga has been a fighter since her formative political days which has tipped her against political giants like former Busoga power broker Alli Kirunda Kivejinja, Daudi Migereko, Isaac Musumba, Kasule Lumumba, Lands Minister Betty Namuganza among others, each time coming out a knockout winner.
