Like almost elsewhere across the country, the political temperature in Kampala is beginning to rise again as the 2011 general elections draw closer. But this year round, the race looks likely to have more colour not seen in many years past.

The Sunrise  exclusively reveals that Arvind Patel, a Ugandan businessman of Asian origin has declared his intention to compete with the incumbent Erias Lukwago and several others for the Kampala central seat in the forthcoming  9th Parliament. Akol Amazima talked to him and below are exerpts.

Patel (pictured) 55 has lived in Uganda since 1981 and is no stranger to Uganda's politics. He is the current Treasurer of the National Entrepreneurship League of the powerful ruling NRM and is a member of Uganda National Chamber of Commerce and Industry.

Dr Hakkim Mtokambali, who gained popularity as a regular at the now banned bimeeza talk shows, and Joseph Sewava of Uganda Young Movementists say that a good number of NRM cadres feel Patel, and not former minister Francis Babu, presents better chances for the party to take the seat from the opposition stronghold of Kampala which is currently occupied by Kampala lawyer Erias Lukwago. Patel is expected to stand on the NRM ticket.

In an interview with The Sunrise, Patel said he is seeking leadership in order to reconcile the indigenous Ugandan businessmen and Uganda - Asian businessmen for the good of the economy.

Recent developments including the anti-Mabira demonstrations in Kampala have exposed the frosty relationship between many Ugandans and the Asian business community.

A number of Indians across the city have lost property, endured beatings and in one incident, one Indian was killed apparently in retribution for plans by Metha to cut down a forest to plant sugarcanes.

It is no wonder therefore that one of Patel's key messages is to try to rally the people of Kampala to avoid the politics of riots and to try to encourage more peaceful means of resolving conflicts.

Patel sharply criticizes MP Lukwago for what he calls 'misleading the youth into riots and demonstrations that have ended inmassive  loss of property and lives.'

Patel recalls the dark days of Amin's Panda Gari or mysterious disappearances of persons and says Kampalans should never create situations that would bring back  those fear.

He acknowledges that Uganda and Kampala central Division in particular have greatly improved in the last 24 years of NRM rule and therefore argues that politicians who seek to destroy these achievements need to be avoided at all costs.

Outlining his credentials, Patel  has a long history of wooing foreign investors to Uganda. In November 1991, he traveled with the then Vice president of Uganda the late Dr Samson Kisseka to the Indian state of Gujarat where they encouraged Asians to come in big numbers and utilize the political climate  prevailing in the country to invest.

Big-hearted
Patel says that every year he helps at least one or two young people to get admitted into Indian universities. Now he says he intends to engage in ventures that can enable the youth gain access to gainful jobs in the city.

Regarding the issue of street children, the soft-spoken businessman cum politician says he intends to lobby donors and the business community both in Uganda and abroad to facilitate the process of resettling the children and their parents from the streets.

Under the NRM government, Arvind Patel is not the first Ugandan of Asian origin break the ethnicity and colour  barrier to win in a popular vote. The current Member of Parliament for the less educated and perhaps less civilized Tororo Municipality, compared to Kampala is Sanjay Tana - a Ugandan of Asian origin. His late brother Jay Tana had also defied the odds when he was elected Member of Parliament for the Youth of Eastern region in the elections of 2001.

Patel is a husband and father of two young boys born and brought up in Uganda but working in the United States.

So far those who have expressed interest in the Kampala central Parliamentary seat, apart from the Incumbent and Francis Babu, is singer Robert Kyagulanyi aka - Bobi Wine. blog comments powered by Disqus

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