Sheema, Uganda: A concerned voter has penned a hard-hitting open letter directed to Prof. Elijah Mushemeza, who is accused of reducing politics in Sheema South Constituency to a personal survival project aimed at securing his parliamentary pension instead of serving the people.
In the strongly worded letter that went viral in one of the constituency WhatsApp platforms, it is alleged that Prof. Mushemeza has been moving privately and lamenting openly that without the support of NRM mobiliser Tugume Nickson, he risks losing his second term in Parliament—and with it, eligibility for pension benefits.
“Parliament is not a pension scheme. It is not a welfare office for personal survival. It is the highest legislative body of this country,” the voter who did not append his name to the letter writes, accusing the former Sheema South legislator of prioritising retirement pay over addressing pressing issues like health, education, and jobs for ordinary Ugandans.
The letter, though, praises Tugume as a loyal NRM mobiliser who has dedicated his time and energy to ensuring victory for the party and President Yoweri Museveni in Sheema South. Unlike Mushemeza, the voter argues, Nickson’s politics are not driven by personal gain but by service and loyalty to the NRM cause.
“Day and night, Nickson is on the ground, walking the villages, engaging youth, energising women, and consulting elders. To ask him to support you simply so you can secure a pension is desperation of the highest order,” the letter reads.
The anonymous author further stresses that Sheema South cannot be held hostage by Mushemeza’s pension ambitions, warning that leadership should never be reduced to self-preservation. “Supporting you would mean abandoning the NRM flag bearers and weakening the movement that has shaped Uganda’s progress,” it continues.
The letter concludes by challenging Prof. Mushemeza to rebuild trust with the people and realign himself with the NRM if he hopes to regain credibility, instead of begging for support to secure pension benefits.
“If your goal is pension, the answer is not begging Nickson or other mobilisers. The answer is to rebuild trust, realign with the party you abandoned, and prove genuine commitment to service. Otherwise, you remain a politician chasing retirement benefits instead of serving a constituency.
Below is the Open Letter in full verbatim
AN OPEN LETTER TO PROF. MUSHEMEZA: Why Tugume Nickson Cannot Sacrifice NRM and the People of Sheema South for Your Pension
Dear Prof. Elijah Mushemeza,
Politics in Sheema South has entered a turning point. The days when leadership was viewed as a personal ladder for wealth and privilege are coming to an end. The people now demand accountability, service, and loyalty to their cause. It is in this spirit that I write to you, Professor, because your recent actions and statements show a man more concerned with his parliamentary pension than with the ordinary voter who trusted you with leadership.
Word on the ground is that you have been moving quietly, confiding in close circles, and even lamenting openly, asking: “Why can’t Tugume Nickson support me, yet he is the only hope I have to secure my second term and qualify for pension?” This statement has revealed your true intentions, Professor. You are not campaigning for the people’s needs; you are campaigning for your own retirement benefits.
The Pension Politics;
Let us be honest. Parliament is not a pension scheme. It is not a welfare office for personal survival. It is the highest legislative body of this country, a place where representatives are chosen to fight for education, health, roads, jobs, and the welfare of ordinary Ugandans. But your desperation for a second term has reduced it to a mere steppingstone to guarantee you a comfortable pension.
While you think about your retirement package, the people of Sheema South are thinking about better health services, improved schools, and opportunities for their children. While you are worried about qualifying for pension, the ordinary voter is worried about how to put food on the table. The contrast is striking.
Tugume Nickson’s Position
You have rightly said that Tugume Nickson is your only hope. Indeed, Tugume Nickson has grown to be a force in Sheema South politics. He is not only a household name but also a dedicated NRM supporter and mobiliser who has stood firm in defending the party and its flag bearers. Unlike you, Professor, Tugume Nickson is not in politics for pension or personal privilege. He is in politics to strengthen the NRM, to rally the people, and to ensure victory for President Museveni and all NRM flag bearers in Sheema South.
Day and night, Nickson is on the ground. He walks the villages, talks to the youth, energizes the women, and engages the elders. His loyalty is not hidden. His voice is heard in rallies, his pen is active on social media, and his presence is felt in every mobilization meeting. He has sacrificed his own comfort to see NRM thrive.
For you to now come and beg him for support, not because of shared ideology or party loyalty, but because you want to secure a pension, is the height of desperation.
Why Tugume Nickson Cannot Support You
Professor, Tugume Nickson cannot betray the people of Sheema South by standing behind a project of personal survival. Supporting you would mean abandoning the NRM flag bearers who are the true face of the party in this constituency. It would mean weakening the movement that has shaped Uganda’s progress for decades. It would mean putting one man’s pension above the dreams of thousands of Sheema South residents.
Nickson’s loyalty is not to individuals who jump in and out of the NRM when it suits them. His loyalty is to the NRM vision, to President Museveni, and to the grassroots structures that hold this party together. He understands that politics is bigger than one man’s pension needs.
Service vs. Survival
Leadership, Professor, is about service, not survival. You have made your choice clear. Your number one fear is not losing connection with the people but missing out on pension benefits. You have exposed yourself as a politician whose driving agenda is self-preservation.
On the other hand, Tugume Nickson represents the new generation of leaders who understand that the people deserve better. His mobilization work is proof that he has no hidden agenda. He is not looking for shortcuts. He is building structures that will outlast him and empower Sheema South for years to come.
The Lesson for Sheema South
Your situation, Professor, is a wake-up call to all voters. It teaches us that not every politician who speaks the language of development actually has the people at heart. Some are only calculating for personal security. But the people of Sheema South have grown wiser. They know that their votes should not be used as pension contributions for individuals who are disconnected from the ground.
The people want a leader who shares their struggles, walks with them in their challenges, and celebrates with them in their victories. Tugume Nickson has shown those qualities. He has consistently stood with the people and with the NRM cause, without wavering.
A Word to You, Professor
Professor, if your goal is pension, the solution is not to beg Tugume Nickson or any other NRM mobiliser to support you. The solution is to rebuild trust with the people, to realign yourself with the party you abandoned, and to demonstrate genuine commitment to service. Otherwise, you will remain a man fighting for his retirement package instead of a leader championing his constituency.
In the meantime, know this: Sheema South cannot be held hostage by your pension ambitions. The people deserve representation that is rooted in the NRM and anchored in service, not survival. Tugume Nickson, as a strong mobiliser, has made his position clear — he is with the NRM flag bearers, with President Museveni, and with the people.
Conclusion
Professor, begging for support to secure a pension is beneath the dignity of a leader who once carried the title of Professor. Sheema South deserves better than a pension project. The constituency deserves leaders of service, not leaders of desperation. And that is why Tugume Nickson will continue mobilising for the NRM and its flag bearers, not for personal pension seekers.
History will remember this moment, not as the time when Sheema South bowed to one man’s pension, but as the time when the people rose to defend the true spirit of NRM and to support leaders who put service above survival.
Respectfully,
A Citizen of Sheema South
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