By Max Patrick Ocaido
Former minister Maj Gen (Rtd) Jim Muhwezi Katugugu is set to return to elective politics in 2021 general polls.
Gen Muhwezi, who was minister for Information and National Guidance, lost his Rujumbura County MP seat in 2016 to FDC’s Fred Tumuheirwe Turyamuhweza. A few months after losing his parliamentary seat, Muhwezi suffered another blow after President Yoweri Museveni dropped him as minister in the June 2016 cabinet reshuffle.
The latest information indicates that Gen Muhwezi is expected to bounce back and reclaim his parliamentary seat from FDC’s Turyamuhweza in 2021 polls. Muhwezi confirmed on Twitter on Monday saying that he has received a delegation from his voters requesting him to contest again for Rujumbura County seat and that he is ready for the challenge.
“…I have received delegations of voters demanding that I should contest for Rujumbura Parliamentary seat again based on my previous performance as an MP, and I have agreed to contest in the coming election,” Muhwezi tweeted.
Despite being on ‘katebe’ for 3years now, Gen Muhwezi has remained very influential in the constituency and still commands overwhelming support and respect. The former chairman of the NRM Veterans’ League was very active in the Rukungiri by-elections, but his efforts were not enough to bring victory for the NRM party in the Woman district by-election.
He, however, remained relevant in mobilizing for the party even in the recently concluded Local Council elections where NRM garnered a landslide victory at the backyard of FDC strongman Dr Col Kizza Besigye. Between 1994 and 1995, he served as a member of the Constituent Assembly that drew up the 1995 Ugandan Constitution.
From 1996 until 1998, Jim Muhwezi served as Minister of State in Charge of Primary Education. He was appointed Minister of Health in 2001, serving in that capacity until 2006.