Did Beti Olive Kamya Pay Katongole Singh Ugx550m To Retain Rubaga NRM Seat?

BY OUR REPORTER

KAMPALA, Uganda|SHIFTMEDIA| The Minister of Lands Beti Olive Namisango Kamya may have won the NRM primaries to represent the people of Lubaga North in next years parliamentary election but scores of voters have vowed to drag her to court over what they described as voter bribery.

Just days before the ruling party went into the primaries, the NRM Party chairperson and President, Rtd Gen Yoweri Kaguta Museveni warned the members against engaging in voter bribery.

Now what this website has unearthed, remains tricky regarding how best to describe bribery. What has come to the fore is that when Beti Kamya knew that former MP for Lubaga North Singh Katongole, who was recently elected the NRM Vice Chairperson for Kampala was due to contest for the same seat now occupied by Independent, and People Power leaning MP, Robert Kasibante aka class monitor, Kamya clinched a deal with Singh Katongole to “buy” him off along with all his supporters.

Under the arrangements, Katongole was to announce that he was not standing for the Rubaga North, and was standing down for Beti Kamya. He also had to announce that all his supporters would vote for Beti Kamya.

According to sources, by the time the talks that were held in Rubaga ended, a fee of Ugx 550 million (Five Hundred and Fifty Million Ugandan shillings was agreed). The meeting was concluded as per the documents we have on July 30, 2020.

The main people behind the negotiations were: Ddumba Kayanja of Namirembe Bakuli, a one Bukyana Justine of Nakulabye Zone, and Ssebunya Sulaiman of Kasubi Parish, all in Rubaga North Division.
The agreement (below) in Luganda talks about an agreement to buy the seat and supporters of Singh Permindah Katongole.

Beti Kamya as per the agreement in our possession first deposited Ugx 300,000, 000 (Three Hundred Million shillings) during the covid-19 lockdown period and again on Thursday, July 30 2020 at 4 pm, Beti Kamya paid the deal brokers, a one Salongo Bukyana, and others Ugs 150 million shillings to seal the deal.So far she had paid Ugx450 million and is yet to clear Singh Katongole his balance of Ugx 250 million. This means Kamya will fork out shs700 million to reclaim the seat, that good enough is now under her arms. Both Singh Katongole and Beti Kamya declined to respond to our calls, let alone reply the messages.

 

 

Kamya was duly declared the ruling National Resistance Movement (NRM) candidate in Lubaga North after winning her close rival Brian Tindyebwa.

Kamya a recent recruit in the NRM polled 6,164 votes representing 90 per cent against Tindyebwa’s 671 votes. Dr Isaac Lwanga who was also in the race got only four votes.

Kamya was declared the winner shortly before 7 pm by the returning officer Robert Kato who said that the election was largely peaceful.

“We don’t expect anyone to complain because the election was held during the day by people lining behind,” Kato said.

Now Kamya will be contesting with Moses Kasibante the incumbent MP, and Abubaker Kawalya who recently crossed to the National Unity Platform from the FDC. Kamya was Lubaga North MP between 2005 to 2011 when she contested for the presidency on the Uganda Federal Alliance ticket.

However, she was defeated by President Yoweri Museveni who she later joined. In 2016 she tried to reclaim her position but narrowly lost to Kasibante.