Lwemiyaga County MP aspirant, Brig Gen Emmanuel Rwashande, has said that it is time for the current area MP, Theodore Ssekikubo, to stop using the National Resistance Movement (NRM) as a shield in his quest for votes.
Rwashande accused Ssekikubo of leveraging the NRM's reputation to gain electoral support yet turns to opposing the party after getting elected.
He made the remarks during an appearance on Next Radio's "The Next Big Talk" show, hosted by Canary Mugume.
"You (Theodore Ssekikubo) cannot put on the skin of NRM when you are looking for votes and then go into opposition mode when you get elected," Gen Rwashande said.
He further criticized Ssekikubo for undermining government initiatives, stating, "He has been decampaigning the government. You cannot implement government programs if you don't agree with them."
Rwashande emphasized that the people of Lwemiyaga are eager for a leader who can address the issues he claims Ssekikubo has neglected in his manifesto.
"The person I am running against, Theodore Ssekikubo, has served as an MP for over 25 years but has never provided any accountability for his tenure. In his manifesto, there is nothing new that he has ever implemented on the ground. There is nothing new that the people of Lwemiyaga are expecting from Ssekikubo," Rwashande asserted.
He pointed out several pressing issues, such as land grabbing and insecurity, that he believes can only be resolved by him serving as the MP for Lwemiyaga.
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"Lwemiyaga is not like any other place. There is what we call the cycle of human security, yet none of its aspects have been addressed in Lwemiyaga. The grabbing of land by individuals in Lwemiyaga, including some MPs, remains an unresolved issue," the retired General said.
A retired three-star general, Rwashande left the army in April 2024 and has recently declared his candidacy for the Lwemiyaga parliamentary seat, aiming to unseat Ssekikubo, who has held the position for decades.
His campaign has recently gained traction, bolstered by support from fellow retired army officer Fenekansi Katrima and President Museveni's brother, Toyota Nuwagira.
Last year, Ssekikubo, told NBS Television that despite challengers' efforts to take his seat, he remained confident of victory come 2026.
"If they believe they can come under my foot, let them come and contest and I show them who is a man," Ssekikubo said last year.
