Kyankwazi,Uganda – As told by Mzee Kateganda, a farmer from Buhweju_
When Hon. Nnamara returned from Kyankwanzi, I was among the elders who asked her, “Mheshimiwa, what did they teach you there?” She laughed and sat on the mat with us under her mango tree. She didn’t give slogans. She gave us wisdom.
“Mzee, the first thing I learnt is this: leadership is knowing what to say, what not to say, and when to say what ought to be said,” she said.
She explained that before Kyankwanzi, she spoke from the heart in every meeting. Now she understands timing. “Not every truth belongs in every room,” she said. “Some battles are won by speaking in Cabinet or Parliament, others by speaking in the village, and others by saying nothing at all until the facts are ready.”
The second lesson struck me most. “Listening is more important, depending on the subject matter.” In Kyankwanzi they were taught to read the forum. In caucus, you debate hard. In Parliament, you persuade. In the district, you consult. And when it comes to money, especially billions for projects, she laughed, “you first listen to the technical people and the farmers before you open your mouth. If you don’t know the forum, you can kill a good idea by saying it in the wrong place.”
Then she grew serious. “My people, a lot still needs to be learnt. And resources are very scarce,” she said, tapping her notebook. “Government has Shs84.2 trillion to share across the whole country. Every shilling must be invested wisely. If Buhweju wants schools, roads, or coffee factories, we cannot just ask. We must come with serious justifications. We must show the returns, the jobs, the exports. Money follows preparation.” She added that she has worked with BCTI and others and submitted what she considers good ideas. “This should open windows for us, if not doors.”
She then shared her resolve: “I will continue my BCTI approach — Building Capacity Through Initiatives. Education for our children, incomes for our households, and networking for our district.” Kyankwanzi reminded her that one MP cannot lift a district alone.
She smiled and said, “But I am not alone. I have at least 50 key MPs, Speakers inclusive, who are now good networks for Buhweju. We share notes, we lobby together, and we will defend each other’s motions. When Buhweju’s budget line comes, it will not be one voice. It will be fifty plus.”
Her last point gave us hope. She stood, dusted her dress, and said: “Now I want one more network. I want the President to be my networking champion. If he carries Buhweju’s case, doors open in the Ministry of Finance, in BOU, in State House. My job is to give him a case so solid that he will be proud to champion it.”
That is what our Hon. Nnamara learnt. Not just politics, but strategy. Not just talking, but timing. Not just asking, but justifying.
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*Key Takeaways for Hon. Nnamara from Kyankwanzi:*
1. *Discipline in Speech:* Know what to say, what not to say, and when to say it.
2. *Listen First:* Listening outweighs talking. Match the message to the subject and the forum.
3. *Resource Reality:* Funds are scarce. Major projects need serious, evidence-based justifications.
4. *BCTI Commitment:* Double down on Buhweju Capacity Through Initiatives — education, incomes, networking.
5. *Leverage Networks:* Activate her 50+ MP allies, including Speakers, to push Buhweju’s agenda.
6. *Aim Higher:* Make the President her champion by presenting a bankable, national-interest case for Buhweju.
