Councilor Loyda survived lynching by Locals for claiming mast project 

Amos Tayebwa

Mbarara

The rift between Mbarara District Woman MP Margret Ayebare Rwebyambu and her rival Councilor Loyda Kyarikunda Twinomujuni Muhimbura has deepened. This comes following the drama and chaos erupted between Locals and Councilor Loyda who was blocked and  chased from accessing the Mast project site.

According to the sources, the gist of the drama occurred  on Sunday 21 April 2024 at Rugyerera cell, Rubaya Sub-county in Mbarara District where there is construction of a telecommunication must.

There was bitter exchange of words and almost exchange of blows between the Locals and Loyda Muhimbura’s team amidst her monitoring towards the construction of the said mast which she claims to be her project.

On her arrival at the site where the telecommunication mast is being constructed, a mob of angry locals attacked her and the team she had come with and directed them to vacate. About 30 Locals stormed the site and blocked her entrance to the construction area.

In this case, Loyda was accused by Locals for hijacking and claimed for the mast project which she did not lobby for. She’s also accused of  putting direct sabotage towards the projects and achievements lobbied by the area Woman Member of Parliament Rwebyambu

Loyda Muhimbura is a Councilor LC5 representing Rubaya Sub-county in Mbarara District Local Council.

Apparently, she has revealed her interest to contest for the Woman Member of Parliament seat for Mbarara District against Margaret Rwebyambu. For the last two years, the duo have created a beef among themselves in the political scene of Mbarara and they cannot meet eye to eye.

According to the sources, Loyda was accompanied by a few Leaders, her security team with about three guns and a group of Journalists  in intent to  monitor the works taking place at the construction of that mast.

She claimed that it is her oversight role towards projects and those that are within her area. She further claimed that the mast that is being constructed at Rugyerera was her efforts through lobby.

Loyda’s claims were however declined by the Locals who opposed her that the Mast project was lobbied by the arae Member of Parliament Rwebyambu.

Locals further insisted that Loyda has no moral authority and powers to control the construction of that mast. They informed  her and the team that if she was in an oversight role and monitoring, she would have done that during working days not on weekends.

“We are tired of You hijacking the projects which are not yours and you start claiming for them that you lobbied them for the people of Mbarara. Stop that nonsense on some people’s projects. Stop sabotaging your fellow leaders from delivering services. This is too much, go and do your own projects” one of the Locals tells Loyda.

Locals argued that it would also be important if Loyada and the team asked  for the permission from the representative of the President, the RDC before they raided the site for monitoring.

While responding to the angry Locals, Councilor  Loyda struggled to put them in calm moods urging that they should not interrupt development coming to their areas.

“You voted for me as your District Lady Councilor for Rubaya and today I have come on issues of this mast, I therefore don’t see the reason why you people are making noise against me. When I am doing development in my Area no one should come against me. Through me as a district councilor I wrote a letter according to the request of Rubaya sub county and I asked for three masts including this very one of Rugyerera and I have the letters from  UCC. Now we already have two masts that have been constructed and the third one will also come in the same subcounty. By coming here I had come to see where the works have so far reached” said Loyda Muhimbura.

Margaret Rwebyambu, the Mbarara District Woman MP said that she lobbied  for the Mast of Rugyerera through MTN under ATC (American Telecommunication Company).She revealed that she  applied for this Mast a long time ago from ATC, that she lobbied for the mast by the aide of his Father-in-Law who is one of the top MTN Board Bosses in Uganda.

Rwebyambu has cautioned Councilor Loyda Muhimbura to stop claiming for any projects brought by the woman MP.  She further warned Muhimbura to stop her tendencies of hijacking her projects and functions.

“I want to call on my opponent Loyda Muhimbura to stay away from my own initiated projects. Stop sabotaging me from giving service delivery to my people. Please keep your lane” Rwebyambu warns Loyda.

Rwebyambu has also revealed that there are four incidents where her opponent Loyda has intentionally caused drama in a way of attracting attention from the electorates or public.

“In fact I have called the RDC of Mbarara District and told him that Mr. RDC ,if you cannot control your District as far as security is concerned, am going now to also mobilize my people and we start fresh campaigns openly and you all know I am very good at mobilization. Let us fight openly then as security, that’s when you will wake up. This is my term, so give me time to work for my people. If they don’t want to control this woman, the Lady councilor from Rubaya so that she stays in her sub-county and you set her free because she has money to traverse my district, I am going to be on the ground and we face head to head whether in the field or at functions. You can not allow the woman to step on me and then I keep quiet. I don’t want this lady to keep sabotaging my services for my people” said MP Rwebyambu