In the 2001 general elections, Besigye garnered 17.2 percent of the total votes casts in Luweero against Musevenis 79.2 percent. In 2011, Besigye gained as he polled 27.54 percent of the 106.826 votes cast against Musevenis 67.63 percent. He has recently gained more support in the urban centers of Wobulenzi, Luweero, Bombo and Kikyusa.
Luweero district residents have listed land grabbing, poor health and taxes on agriculture inputs as priority areas that they want the Forum for Democratic Change Presidential candidate Dr Kiiza Besigye to address as he visits the region this weekend.
Dr Besigye is expected to have at least 10 stop overs and a main rally in Luweero town on Sunday February 7th as he solicits for votes in an area hitherto known to be a stronghold of the ruling National Resistance Movement-NRM party.
In preparation for his visit, residents are demanding that he commits himself to addressing key issues affecting their livelihood. This, they say, will determine their decisions ahead of the February 18th polling day.
Ashraf Sserunkuma, a resident of Kavule zone in Luweero says that several people live in fear of eviction and accuses top government officials for targeting their land. Up to 10,000 people are affected by Land grabbing in the Sub Counties of Luweero, Bombo, Kamira, Butuntumula and Zirobwe takes center stage.
Sserunkuma says Besigye should promise to protect their land rights in exchange for their votes on polling day.
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Geoffrey Kaddu, another resident in Kiwogozi zone in Luweero town wants Besigye to commit himself to increase its budgetary allocation to health centers in rural areas.
Government allocates 2.4 million Shillings to Health Center III's and 1.9 million Shillings for Health Center II's to finance their Primary Health Care budget annually. Each Health Centers IV receives 42 million Shillings.
But Kaddu says such funding is inadequate and cannot guarantee provision of quality services to the rural poor.
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Absalom Bwanika Bbaale, one of the LC 5 candidates for Luweero district says that farmers need a provision for improved infrastructure and markets for their agricultural produce.
Sub counties in Luweero receive between 8-20 million Shillings for the construction of feeder roads in rural areas. However, this is still low to create impact and as such, the roads remain impassable especially during the rainy season.
Due to the bad roads, farmers are stuck with over 1800 acres of pineapples and other crops.
Bwanika implores Besigye to commit himself to construction of a juice processing plant to offer markets for the abundant pineapples and create jobs for the youths. He also calls for the reduction of taxes on agricultural inputs such as seedlings, fertilizers and pesticides to increase production.
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The delayed compensation of veterans of National Resistance Army war of 1981-1986 also raises debate among residents many of whom condemn the ruling NRM party for neglecting their plight. The NRM government has paid up 42,000 veterans and pledged to clear the outstanding 39,000 veterans in next two years.
Samuel Kazibwe says many veterans have died and others live in abject poverty over the failure to secure their compensation, 30 years after the liberation struggle.
In the 2001 general elections, Besigye garnered 17.2 percent of the total vote's casts in Luweero against Museveni's 79.2 percent. In 2011, Besigye gained as he polled 27.54 percent of the 106.826 votes cast against Museveni's 67.63 percent. He has recently gained more support in the urban centers of Wobulenzi, Luweero, Bombo and Kikyusa.
FDC officials are optimistic that Besigye will make inroads into rural areas of Luweero when he visits this weekend.
