The National Resistance Movement (NRM) CEC will convene tomorrow to consider candidates who has expressed interest to represent Uganda at the East African Legislative Assembly with youthful Ambrose Murangira leading the race to scoop the converted seat .
Murangira was among the first candidates to officially express interest in the seat when he paid ug.shs.2M at the party’s headquarters in Kampala for the position of Member of Parliament (MP) to replace the fallen Mathias Kasamba at the (EALA).
Who is Ambrose Murangira
This is the 3rd time Murangira is contesting for EALA MP. In 2017 NRM EALA primaries he won the first round of voting but when the process was cancelled and repeated, he lost and emerged the first runner-up (7th best candidate) narrowly missing the 6th position by about 15 votes.
‘’This candidacy is not about me, it is about all of us. It is about making East Africa Community Inclusive, making EAC inclusive means that everyone will be able to enjoy benefits that comes with it’’, said Murangira.
Murangira, aged 39, is a vigorous politician with a hearing impairment and strong supporter of the NRM and President Yoweri Museveni. He holds bachelor degree of Social Work and Social Administration; Masters in Social Sector Planning and Management from Makerere University.
A renowned activist for disability, gender and old age, Murangira also holds a PGD in Countering Terrorism and Radicalization from the University of Zurich.
‘’If we go by our usual in-house agreement by conscious, CEC should endorse me on this basis. After the untimely demise of our friend and brother Hon. Kasamba Mathias (RIP), persons with disabilities do not have a representative in EALA. It is on record that persons with disabilities, which are approximately six million persons, have been a block vote for NRM’’, reads in part Murangira’s expression of interest letter to the Chairman, NRM Electoral Commission.
Murangira is a member of the NRM National Executive Committee where he is serving a second term as Chairperson of Ibanda District NRM PWDs League.
Prior to this, he was Chairperson of Ibanda District NRM Youth League (2000-2015). During his tenure, they ensured that all NRM flag bearers from village council to President won with the highest margin in the area.
He was also a member of the National Campaign Task Team in 2011 and 2016 headed by H.E Specioza Wandira Kazibwe and Hon. Janat Mukwaya respectively.
Those who have seen his endless efforts of empowering the marginalized group argue that NRM should front him to replace Kasamba given his reputable record.
‘’My active involvement in NRM work and structure has enabled me to understand NRM ideology which I have also been promoting through writing various booklets. For instance, in 2011 I authored two NRM campaign booklets (‘Seven Red Cards, None for Museveni’; ‘Special Interest Groups Empowered by NRM’). In 2016, I authored two booklets: ‘Why Ugandans Will Never Remove Museveni’; ‘Special Interest Groups Empowered by NRM’; ‘Opposition Lies Demystified’. In 2014 I also authored a booklet: ‘Understanding NRM’ which H.E provided a foreword. All the above books were very useful in mobilizing support for NRM flag bearers and NRM as a mass party’’, adds Murangira in his express of interest to the NRM Secretariat.
He grew up as a leader in both youth and disability movements. In high school and at Makerere University he was a students’ leader as a guild minister. He was also a member of National Youth Council and has served persons with disabilities with dignity in different capacities.
He served as a board member of National Union of Disabled Persons of Uganda (NUDIPU) for 5yrs; Chairperson and CEO of Uganda National Association of the Deaf (UNAD) for 13yrs; National Council for Disability for 8yrs; and National Youth Council for 8yrs.
He has also been active in the International Youth and Disability Movement holding various positions earning him five international recognitions by the United Nations; The World Bank; The Government of Uganda; and The US State Department in appreciating his efforts in promoting rights of Youth and PWDs.
Currently, he is very active in promoting and implementation of SDGs which has made him a frequent speaker at the UN High Level Political Forum on SDGs in New York.
‘’I have also provided technical expertise on ‘diversity and inclusion’ to both international and local organizations such as GiZ Uganda; MasterCard Foundation; Goal Uganda; WarChild Holland; Stromme Foundation; MGLSD among many others. I have represented Uganda in more than 30 countries which has exposed me to how countries work towards integration of their federations’’, Murangira told our reporter.
Kasamba was elected into the Fourth EALA (2017-2022) in December 2017 and was to end his first term in late 2022. This implies that Uganda will have to nominate another lawmaker to replace Kasamba.
Murangira will face off with the former state minister for Tourism Godfrey Kiwanda Ssubi, former MP for Mawokota South John Bosco Lubyayi, Jacqueline Amongin and Abas Mutumba, a former political assistant to Kasamba.
