Kigezi Delegates Tell Basajjabalaba: For Your Own Health, Don’t Show Up at Kololo

Kabale– Delegates from the Kigezi region have issued a blunt warning to embattled businessman Hassan Basajjabalaba, telling him not to waste his time or “for his own health” show up at Kololo on August 25th to seek election as Chairman of the NRM Entrepreneurs League on the party’s Central Executive Committee (CEC).

The delegates say Basajjabalaba’s decision to contest again, despite a trail of scandals and corruption cases, is an act of shamelessness that insults both the party and the business community he claims wants to represent.

“We in Kigezi are very clear. Basajjabalaba should not even dream of standing before us to ask for votes. He carries a criminal past that has done nothing but damage to the reputation of the NRM and entrepreneurs in this country,” said John Byaruhanga, a delegate from Kabale.

Another delegate, Mary Nyirabarinda, wondered what tangible results Basajjabalaba has ever delivered for businesspeople. “All we hear about him is scandal after scandal, compensation frauds, market tenders gone wrong. How has any of this improved businesses in Kigezi or Uganda at large?” she asked.

Delegates accused the Ishaka tycoon of enriching only his family and close associates at the expense of the wider business community. “For 10 years he sat in that office, but what roads, what power connections, what loan schemes has he ever advocated for? Nothing,” said Sam Rukundo from Kisoro.

They also castigated him for dragging Islam into disrepute. “Our faith teaches honesty and justice. Yet every time Basajjabalaba is in the news, it is about theft, fraud or corruption. That is a disgrace not only to Muslims but to the whole country,” noted Sheikh Abdul Kato, another delegate.

The delegates concluded that August 25th will be the day they “send him home once and for all.” “If he insists on coming to Kololo, he should not hope anyone will vote for him. His time is up. We need a servant leader who will speak for us, not a scandal-ridden man whose name is synonymous with corruption,” said Grace Tumushabe, a Kigezi businesswoman.