Ambitions by Milly Babirye Babalanda, President Yoweri Museveni’s Minister for Presidency, to become the next Member of Parliament (MP) for Budiope West in Buyende District have hit a snug after residents in the area rejected her aspirations on grounds that she is masquerading as a resident of Kalogoyi Village, Iringa Parish, Nkondo Sub County for selfish political reasons.
Milly Babalanda is one of the ministers in Museveni’s cabinet who is not a Member of Parliament. Her unsuccessful efforts to become an MP have seen her try luck in her native Kamuli district, Jinja, and Kaliro districts but she has been rejected wherever she has set her foot.
Her coming to Buyende district has not been welcomed either and is harshly being repelled.
To qualify herself to vie for Budiope West constituency, Milly bought a piece of land in Kalogoyi village, Iringa Parish, and set up a farm – she has since upgraded it to a residence. But residents in the constituency currently being represented in the August House by Kyoto Ibrahim Mululi are saying no.
To showcase their rejection, hundreds of residents took to the dusty streets in Nkondo, Buyende, and Kidera to protest and announce Milly Babalanda’s unwelcome political ideas and stay.
Juma Isabirye, one of the protestors said they cannot allow Milly to manipulate them. “We are aware that Milly is a political nomad. She is rejected wherever she attempts to seek political office. Let her go to Kamuli which is her birthplace,” Isabirye stated.
Another protestor, John Mulimba said Budiope is for Budiope sons and daughters, not foreigners and opportunists. “We have educated children who can represent us. We cannot allow Babalanda to come here and exploit us because she has money. We have seen that people who use money to get into political office are not developmental,” Mulimba said.
Mulimba, like many people in Budiope West, believes only a person born in Budiope can understand and address their problems like bad roads, poor education, and healthcare that have left the district impoverished.
“We want someone who is one of us. Someone we can approach. We want an MP whose family we know. Therefore, Milly Babalanda is not welcome and shouldn’t even disturb us,” Jane Nakato, a shopkeeper in Iringa said. “She has been coming to her farm without greeting us, now that she wants our votes she has started pretending like she cares,” Nakato added.
The fierce reception accorded to Milly Babalanda comes ahead of this year’s celebrations of Women’s Day scheduled for Wednesday at Iringa Township Primary School. The Minister for the Presidency is expected to be the Chief Guest.
