Summary:
Ankole sub-region includes 13 districts: Buhweju, Bushenyi, Ibanda, Isingiro, Kazo, Kiruhura, Mbarara, Mitooma, Ntungamo, Rwampara, Rubirizi, Sheema, and Mbarara City.
MBARARA: The Deputy Speaker of Parliament, Thomas Tayebwa, has been recognized as the best-performing legislator among the Members of Parliament (MPs) from the Ankole sub-region.
This was revealed in a report published on Wednesday by Ark Times, a research organization based in western Uganda.
The Ankole sub-region includes 13 districts: Buhweju, Bushenyi, Ibanda, Isingiro, Kazo, Kiruhura, Mbarara, Mitooma, Ntungamo, Rwampara, Rubirizi, Sheema, and Mbarara City.
The report indicates that Thomas Tayebwa, representing Ruhinda North, and Bright Rwamirama, representing Isingiro North, were ranked at the top. Robert Mwesigwa Rukaari, the MP for Mbarara City North Division, placed third, while Steven Kagwangye of Bukanga took fourth.
In addition to the rankings, the researchers conducted opinion polls in the region, which further informed the rankings of each district.
The assessment highlighted that Tayebwa and Rwamirama’s strong performances are attributed to various interventions, such as supporting health services, combating land grabbing, extending clean water to water-scarce areas, and promoting skills and talent development, among other initiatives.
The researchers based their evaluation on several factors, including MPs’ media engagement, visibility in the community, responsiveness to people’s concerns, ensuring service delivery in their constituencies, and their participation in parliamentary plenaries all in line with the primary functions of a legislator.
Ronald Kyamadidi, the director of Ark Times, explained that the regular assessments aim to hold leaders accountable and inform their electorates about their achievements and shortcomings, whether monthly, quarterly, or annually.
“We cannot allow leaders to sit idly and collect salaries while Ugandans remain underserved. We will continue to objectively assess their performance,” Kyamadidi emphasized.
He further explained that the research methodology involved various approaches, including vox pops, community-based observation, interactions with other leaders who support MPs in their roles, reviewing the performance of past representatives, field visits to key areas, and analysis of media and parliamentary reports.
