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When did Shyam Jay Tanna launch his manifesto?
Tororo, Uganda – November 25, 2025 – Entrepreneur and political aspirant Shyam Jay Tanna officially unveiled his manifesto for the 2026–2031 parliamentary term at Children’s Lions Park in Tororo Town today, marking a high-energy entry into the race for Tororo Municipality MP.
What Happened at Children’s Lions Park Today?
Hundreds of residents, local leaders, youth groups, and traders filled the park in a carnival-like atmosphere. Supporters donned branded T-shirts, local artists performed, and food vendors served the crowd. At the center of it all, Shyam Tanna launched a detailed 40-page manifesto titled “A Covenant with Tororo,” pledging agro-processing hubs, digital-skilling centers for youth, mobile health clinics, tarmacked feeder roads, and a citizen-led anti-corruption body called “Tororo Integrity Watch.” He committed to lobbying for at least UGX 50 billion annually in constituency development funds to tackle the municipality’s 25% unemployment rate.
How Did Residents and Local Media React?
The response was electric. Traders, boda-boda riders, and students praised the manifesto’s practicality. “Shyam speaks our language—he knows the potholes that destroy our motorcycles and the jobs our children don’t have,” said Margaret Achieng, a market vendor. Local station East FM live-streamed highlights on Facebook and TikTok, with posts quickly surpassing 5,000 views and hundreds of shares. Station manager Rose Adong described the event as “a turning point for Tororo’s future.”
Who Is the Incumbent, and Why Is This Race Heating Up?
The current MP, Apollo Yeri Ofwono (NRM), has held the seat since 2016 and is credited with education projects but criticized for slow progress on water, sanitation, and road infrastructure. Rising living costs and youth unemployment have fueled discontent. Early informal surveys among party structures suggest Shyam Tanna could secure up to 45% support in the NRM primaries, making this one of the most watched contests in eastern Uganda.
Why Do Many Residents Keep Mentioning Sanjay Tanna?
Shyam is the son of former Tororo Municipality MP Sanjay Tanna (2011–2016), who remains widely admired for delivering roads, rehabilitated markets, and support for sugarcane farmers during his single term under the NRM ticket. Elders at the launch repeatedly said, “Sanjay performed excellently; now the son wants to continue the good work.” Sanjay publicly endorsed Shyam earlier this month and stepped aside from his own planned regional race to avoid splitting the family vote.
Who Exactly Is Shyam Jay Tanna?
Born in Tororo in the early 1980s to a prominent Indian-Ugandan business family that survived the 1972 expulsion and later returned, Shyam Jay Tanna was educated at Rainbow International School in Kampala and earned a Bachelor’s degree in Business Management from Nottingham Trent University, UK. He is a certified member of the Chartered Institute of Marketing (CIM) and the Chartered Management Institute (CMI).
Professionally, he serves as Co-Founder and Director of DSPD Enterprises and a senior executive in the TAN Group of Companies, a conglomerate with interests in real estate, FMCG distribution, telecommunications, and media. His initiatives include affordable housing projects in Tororo and Mbale, rural distribution networks, and digital platforms that have increased smallholder farmers’ incomes by up to 30%. Fluent in English, Lusoga, and Ateso, Tanna is married with two children and is known for mentoring youth and leading community clean-up drives.
As door-to-door campaigns begin tomorrow across all 12 wards, Tororo Municipality appears poised for a generational shift—one that blends proven family legacy with modern, youth-focused solutions—in the 2026 parliamentary elections.
