Former Leader of Opposition and Kasese District Woman Member of Parliament, Ms Winnie Kiiza, has today quit elective politics after fifteen years though she made it clear that she will remain active with the forces of change but wont contest in 2021 general elections.
“I have always been against over stay in power, I will not be different if I re-contested office this time. I know the people of Kasese love me and would want me to carry on as their Member of Parliament. It’s a job I loved doing because I knew I had the backing of my people had their support. I want to thank you for the support you’ve given me,” Ms Kiiza said on Tuesday. She insisted that as a leader, peaceful retirement is a room for others to lead the country since its what FDC the party she is affiliated to believes in and will be supporting any candidate in the opposition party who intends to come up to liberate the country.
Kiiza in 2006 beat Loice Biira Bwambale (NRM) who once served as Deputy Minister of Gender from 1992 to 1994 and a member of the National Assembly of Uganda from 1996 to 2001. Bwambale had held the seat from 1989 to 2006 before she joined the Rwenzururu kingdom as the first Deputy Prime Minister in 2010.
In 2011, Kiiza beat Rehema Muhindo (NRM) both in the general election and in the subsequent by-election in 2012. The first vote margin was over 6000 votes while in the second round the margin was over 40,000.
In 2016, Kiiza beat Jane Asiimwe Muhindo (NRM and now RDC Bunyangabu district) to tighten her strong grip on the seat.
So far over 10 women had shown interest to carry the NRM flag while in the FDC party; Kiiza had already faced 4 competitors from her party.
How Kiiza faired in the last 2 elections
In 2011, Winnie Kiiza polled 92, 108 beating Rehema Muhindo who got 90, 624 making a difference of 1484 votes.
In 2016, Winnie Kiiza polled 123, 170 of the 345, 130 votes cast to beat NRM’s Asiimwe Jane Muhindo who garnered 70,564 votes making a vote margin of 52, 606.