“Voters Can’t Listen Before You Cough Shillings” – Makerere Fresher Vying for Buhweju MP Decries Monetization of Politics

Isaiah Mpiirwomugisha, a first year student at Makerere University pursuing a degree in Land Economics has decried the level of monetization of politics that is going around the country ahead of the 2021 Presidential and General Elections.

The fresher, whom Campus Bee reached out in an exclusive, has vowed to floor all the bigger dogs that have shown interest for the newly created Buhweju West constituency Member of Parliament (MP) seat.

Mpiirwomugisha, a resident at Makerere’s University Hall (UH) is contesting under Gen. Mugisha Muntu’s Alliance for National Transformation (ANT). He says his ambition has been informed by challenges facing youths in his constituency and young people across the country that he believes can only be solved by the age bracket that is mostly affected.

“People like Gen. Mugisha Muntu, who happens to be my role model, became the Army Commander at the age of 29. This shows us young people that we can, we just need to change our mindsets.” Mpiirwomugisha told Campus Bee.

He confessed to our reporter that the main challenge he has faced in the campaign so far is monetization of politics. He says his colleagues who are older and more financially stable have no problems with dishing in loads of money, which is different for his case.

“The main bottleneck that I have found so far is monetization of politics. This is a great challenge to the youths because we still young financially which is not the case with the older people. It is taking a lot of my time to explain the effects of using money in politics to the locals, but am trying my level best.” He added.

As such, Mpiirwomugisha has said he is resorting to door-to-door campaigns as they seem to be most financially considerate means for him in the campaign.

“I want to lobby for the girl child in my constituency suchthat they can get access to sanitary health services at no cost because I have seen that lack of access to sanitary health services is the main cause of teenage pregnancies in Buhweju and the nation altogether.” He said.

He also said that he intends to revive the Tea Corporative Society which he believes will help tea farmers (majority population in Buhweju are tea farmers) access inputs like fertilizers at cheaper prices, as well as look for good market for their tea. He says the development would help to increase household income for tea farmers in his area.