From City Council Speaker To Parliamentarian: Mbayo’s Quest for Jinja City South West Constituency

In the unpredictable contest for Jinja City South West Constituency, where 10 candidates are vying for the sole seat, Bernard Mbayo, the current Speaker of Jinja City Council emerges as a dark horse.

Mbayo is also a member of the National Executive of the Urban Authorities Association of Uganda, (UAAU), representing all local governments in Southeastern region.

The race for the constituency has attracted several high-profile candidates, including Hon. Dr. Timothy Lusala Batuwa (NUP) and Hon. Moses Grace Balyeku (NRM). However, many critical thinkers believe that Mbayo’s quiet momentum and underdog status could lead to an unexpected victory.

Despite being relatively unknown or underestimated, Mbayo’s leadership experience and appeal are proving to be a winning formula.

Many have described his campaign strategy is a masterclass in adaptability.

Drawing inspiration from the fishing community, he employs a multi-pronged approach to connect with voters and leaders.

By using various tactics, akin to fishermen using different fish, Mbayo is effectively reaching diverse groups in the metropolitan constituency. This covert and overt strategy is yielding results, making him a formidable candidate.

Unlike some politicians who exploit vulnerable groups with money and petty items, Mbayo emphasizes the importance of genuine leadership and integrity. “…money can buy votes, but it cannot buy loyalty, and I have majority supporters who are loyal and cannot be compromised…,” he said.

Mbayo promises to break this cycle by speaking truth to the people and prioritizing service over personal gain.

His leadership and integrity have also earned him the support of some NRM enthusiasts, including Emmanuel Joram Kamugisha aka Gish, who previously campaigned for Dr Batuwa in the 2021 general elections.

“…I have seen leaders come and go, but Bernard Mbayo’s integrity and vision for Jinja City South West constituency stand out, and I am supporting him because he puts people over politics…,” Gish said.

Revitalization of Road Infrastructures in Jinja City.

As a former Jinja Municipality Jinja had an estimated 200km of asphalt road network done during the colonial era.

With the inclusion of Budondo, Mafubira and Bugembe as part of the city status, this brought the total number of kilometers to 513, which is biggest than any city can maintain with the meagre sources of revenue.

“…the quality of our roads reflects the quality of our future and a city is judged by the quality of its roads because good roads are the arteries of a city’s economy…” the FDC loyalist quips.

Mbayo says as a city council they have acquired a brand-new grader, a 15-tonne- roller at a cost of 1.7Bn, using their locally raised revenue from Mantrac Uganda Ltd, (a leading construction equipment supplier in Uganda) to help Council opens roads in Northern division as well as maintain the roads in Southern division.

Jinja City has also got an additional 10 kilometers from the Ministry of Works that the leadership intends to take advantage of to rehabilitate the 8.7-kilometer potholed, yet highly industrialized Masese/Walukuba road.

Source of the Nile Redevelopment Project.

Bernard Mbayo has expressed his enthusiasm for the ongoing Source of the Nile Development project being undertaken by Excel Construction Ltd which he believes will transform the city into a world-class tourism destination.

“…this is a game changer for Jinja City, and it is not just about beautifying a place, it is about unlocking the potential of our city and creating opportunities for our people…”, Mbayo said, adding “I am thrilled to see the progress being made and I am confident that it will boost tourism, create jobs and improve the livelihoods of our people…”.