By Stephen Kalema
Afrigo Band member Rachael Magoola has emerged as the National Resistance Movement (NRM) flag bearer for the District Woman legislator – Bugweri.
Bugweri is one of the six newly created districts and was curved out of Iganga. It comprises six sub counties; Ibulanku, Igombe, Makuutu, Buyanga, Namalemba; Busembatya and Busesa Town Council.
Magoola was in the tight race with Amina Nalugoda, Rose Birabwa and Monica Musubika in the NRM party primaries carried out on Wednesday.
She garnered 13,172 votes, followed by Mutesi (6,691), Birabwa (5,667) and Musibika (1,409). Four Hundred ninety votes were declared invalid.
Magoola will face Justice Forum‘s Sarah Babirye, People Power’s Mercy Walukamba and Forum for Democratic Change’s Lillian for the Bugweri Woman Member of Parliament seat.
Walukamba famously deserted NRM for Robert Kyagulanyi’s People Power.
In 2016, Magoola contested for Woman Member of Parliament for Iganga district but lost to Olivia Kabaale Kwagala.
Then, she said, she was motivated to join politics because Kwagala kept taunting their family after defeating her mother, Beatrice Zilabamuzale Magoola, in the 2011 parliamentary elections. Unfortunately, in 2016, the singer lost to the woman who had also defeated her mother five years earlier.
Who is Racheal Magoola?
Born to Nicholas and Beatrice Zilabamuzale Magoola in 1966, Racheal started music at an early stage, singing in a church choir. She also learnt several musical instruments at home since her father was a music teacher in various schools in Eastern region of Uganda.
Her mother is a former Iganga Women legislator and minister of state in charge of Luweero Triangle.
Magoola was expelled from Tororo Girls in Senior Two after performing in a band during school break. She then joined Namasagali College in 1983 then to Kaliro Teachers’ Training College, where she trained as a secondary school teacher, specialising in teaching music and languages.
From Kaliro, she went back to Namasagali College as a teacher until 1993 when she left for further studies in Kyambago University. Still at Kyambogo, she majored in teaching music. However, she did not graduate because she missed her final examinations since she was on a London tour with Afrigo Band.
On that tour, she recorded Obangaina which became an instant hit.
In 2012 she went back to Kyambogo University and completed her degree.
Music journey.
While in Afrigo, Magoola arranged a lot of the music and choreography. She briefly left the leaving the country and Afrigo in 2003 for the United Kingdom.
Magoola has a total of six albums; Inhaife recorded in 1997, Tyenda Wundi recorded in 1998, Tonyiiga recorded in 2000 Atubembe recorded it in 2001, Songs from the Source of the Nile was recorded in 2005 and in 2008 she recorded Eisadha.
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