Author: Nellie Nelson Otto
jinja
when Indian lawyer, anti-colonialist and political ethicist Mohandas Karamchand Gandhi (nicknamed “Mahatma Gandhi”) said, “…only he can become a man who never loses hope. Leaders…” Little did he know that those words would inspire many people years later.
Now Hajji Mohammed Bismarck Bidondole, an educationist who twice unsuccessfully ran for parliament, has renewed hope that his long-held dream is about to come true.
Bindondole, 52, the current NRM flag bearer for Jinja North constituency, said he has prepared land to cover the former Budondo and Mafubira counties and Bugembe town council by 2026.
Jinja North has always been the most crowded constituency in Busoga with close to 20 candidates and is currently held by FDC’s David Isabirye (Agha), whose academic qualifications became a court issue until Bidondole was born through the intervention of some strategists.
Bidondor said he must respect the position of elders, religious and cultural leaders to enhance cohesion and unity in the region, as if to forestall questions from some curious journalists and carping voters.
“…remember one of the qualities of a good leader is to listen, so I have to listen and follow the advice of my elders who asked me to withdraw the petition against my colleagues…”, he recalled.
It is worth mentioning that Bidondole, who came in second with 9564 votes, beating Agha’s 13,388 votes, had petitioned the court claiming that contestant Isabirye lacked the necessary academic documents.
He said Isabirye’s academic documents were registered in the name of Isabirye Mutubu, meaning he used someone else’s paper for the competition.
However, days before the court hearing, Bidondor shocked residents by announcing he was withdrawing, apparently in the public interest.
Although independent sources claim Isabiye gave him some money as a fee, Bidondor began speaking in “tongues,” like the biblical apostles of Jesus after receiving the Holy Spirit in the House of Lords.
Using lines from Lucca born RnB singer Raston Mulebi aka Menton Rass, Let’s vote who can, Bidondor asked residents to get ready to vote, which he termed an eye-opener for growth, development and general welfare.
“…Leadership is a challenge and not a privilege as some mistakenly believe and I aim to stimulate growth through networking and lobbying relevant government departments…” Bidondor highlighted his Leadership concept.
Bidondole, who is also the Chief Executive Officer of East Secondary School, a private O and A level mixed secondary school located in Buwaji District of Budondo, prides himself on being a critically acclaimed teacher who has shaped many Ugandans.
Not wanting to take any chances, Bidondor is busy trotting through the constituency by religiously attending various social events like funerals, marriages, women and youth group meetings, school functions etc. to connect with real voters.
Who is Bidondor
He is currently a PhD candidate in Management, Planning and Policy; he holds a Master of Educational Administration (MA(Ed)) in Geography and Economics from Mgt Makerere University after completing an Honors Degree in Education from the Islamic University Mbale, Uganda (IUIU).
Bidondole is happily married and has eight children. He taught in many schools including Jinja SS and Kibibi SS, where he served as head of the economics and geography departments respectively before retiring to start his own school.
A fan of Premier League team Arsenal, Bidondole is a teetotaler (due to being Muslim) and besides watching religious and news programs on television, he also enjoys local football teams such as Busoga United, Butembe and his Butondo United.
The truth will be revealed sooner or later as there are reports that more than 25 aspirants are jogging for Jinja North. These include current Butembe MP David Livingstone Zijjan, former Butembe MP Nelson Lufafa and a dozen others.
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