NRM sweeps new district polls

The ruling National Resistance Movement has swept all but one LC5 and Woman MP slots in Monday’s elections in the new districts.

The NRM party flag bearers won seats of the parliamentary and district chairpersons in Kagadi, Kibaale and Kakumiro districts.

The former Kibaale district vice chairperson Mr Stephen Mfashingabo was declared by the Electoral Commission (EC) as winner of the Kagadi
district chairperson’s seat.

Mr Mfashingabo, the NRM flag bearer polled 28,111 votes while Mr Yosia Ndibwami, the Rugashari sub county councilor who stood as an independent after losing the NRM primaries garnered 20,055. FDC’s Peter Byahangirwe polled only 5186 votes.

NRM’s Jennifer Mbabazi won the Kagadi woman parliamentary seat with 42,596 votes while FDC’s Margret Nazziwa Rujumba polled 11,009 votes.

In Kakumiro district, the former Bwanswa sub-county chairperson Mr Joseph Ssenkusu Sentahi won the district chairperson’s seat.
Mr Sentahi who was the NRM flag bearer got 20,748 votes while his sole challenger Mr Gerald Semanda Apuuli who stood as an independent candidate polled 13,392 votes.

Mr Semanda, a former inspector of schools in Kibaale district, had lost the NRM primaries to Mr Sentahi but rejected the poll outcome claiming that there were irregularities in the NRM primaries.
Mr Sentahi promised to prioritise constructing the headquarters of Kakumiro district, improving social services and household incomes.
“When you look at our schools, health centres and roads, you realize that we have a big task of improving them so that people access better services” he said shortly after being declared winner.

In Kibaale district, Proscovia Kunihira (FDC) lost the polls for the Kibaale woman parliamentary seat to the NRM flag bearer Ms Noeline Kisembo Basemera

According to results that were announced by the Kibaale district Returning officer Mr Eric Gimei, Ms Basemera polled 9,637 votes while Kunihira obtained 2,801 votes.

“As earlier reported, the voter turnout was low but the election was
generally peaceful,” Gimei said.

Kagadi and Kakumiro districts were curved out of Kibaale district on July 1st. Kagadi district is comprised of Buyaga West and Buyaga East counties while Kakimiro district is comprised of Bugangaizi East and Bugangaizi West counties.

EC chairman Dr Badru Kiggundu who supervised elections in Kakumiro district said reports he had received from all the districts that voted indicate that the elections were free and fair.

“I congratulate all the candidates because it is not easy to offer yourself for an election. Let the winners work with the candidates that have lost so that we build a better Uganda” he said.

Rubanda
NRM’s Prossy Akampurira Mbabazi was declared the Rubanda district Woman MP defeating Independent candidate Hilda Kabarungi Karuhize. Ms Mbabazi polled 32,706 votes while Ms Karuhize got 19,486. FDC’s Vastina Katushabe managed only 3,479 votes.

For the district LCV seat Mr Kenneth Jogo Biryabarema (NRM) polled 32,899 followed by Mr Stephen Ampaire Kasyaba (Ind) with 20,845 votes. FDC’s Joseph Ruhangariyo got 1,172.

Winners; Ms Mbabazi Akampurira and Mr Jogo Biryabarema thanked voters for the support and attributed their victory to the strength of the NRM party in the new district.

“Time for politics is now over, let us join hands and work for the development of our new district. We need the support of all the stake holders so as to work for the people of Rubanda district,” Mr Biryabarema said.

Ms Karuhize’s campaign team said there were several electoral malpractices including voter bribery and intimidation of her supporters adding that she was gathering evidence available to challenge the results in court.

“Some of our campaign agents were arrested over false allegations while others were intimidated and harassed at polling stations. I am considering taking a court option after gathering all the evidence because the electoral process was not free and fair,” Mr George Karuhize the father and sponsor of Ms Kabarungi said.

Omoro
In Omoro, opposition FDC suffered heavy defeat after its candidates in the Woman MP and LC5 race lost.
FDC fronted Mr Simon Toolit Akecha for the LCV chairperson seat and Ms Prossy Alanyo Owiny for the district woman MP seat in the Monday polls.

Election results from 125 polling stations that were announced on Tuesday morning by the Omoro District Electoral Commission Registrar, Denis Ebong saw Ms Owiny losing to NRM’s Catherine Lamwaka.
Ms Owiny garnered 3,948 votes while Ms Lamwaka garnered 10,958 votes beating her with a margin of 7,010 votes.

Ms Lamwaka was former Gulu Resident District Commissioner and former contestant in the February 18 parliamentary elections who lost to incumbent Gulu woman MP Betty Aol Ocan.

Mr Toolit on the other hand garnered 5,461 votes losing out to Mr Okello the former Gulu District NRM Chairperson who polled 5,526 votes. Mr Toolit contested in this year’s February 18 parliamentary election for Omoro County but lost to incumbent Jacob Oulanyah.

“By the power vested in me as the Omoro District registrar, I declare that Ms Lamwaka and Mr Okello are the duly elected Omoro Woman MP and LCV Chairperson respectively,” Mr Ebong said while declaring the election results at the tally center in Koro Sub-county Headquarters.

Mr Ebong nullified the election results from Rom Chapel polling station in Lapainat west Parish Koro Sub-county citing irregularities where three people who were non registered voters at the polling station managed to cast their votes. The trio and the presiding officer at the polling station were however arrested and detained at Koro Police Post pending investigation.

An excited Ms Lamwaka told Daily Monitor in an interview that her first priority in office will be to ensure better education, revamping the health sector and fighting poverty at
household level in Omoro district.

Mr Okello however said his victory was a miracle performed by God and noted that his work will be towards developing the young Omoro district.

Other candidates in the District woman MP contest included Ms Alice Akello Latigo [Independent] who polled 1,099 votes, Alice Aneno Oroma [independent] polled 218 votes, Christine Atimango Odongo [Ind] garnered 142 votes.

While Betty Lalam Kilama [Ind] who polled 966 votes, Grace Pamela Lanyero got 1,345 [DP] votes, Mariea Shaka Lapolo [UPC] 126 votes, Nyapolo Rose [Ind] 455 votes and Okot Santa [Ind] who polled 601
votes.

Meanwhile in the LCV chairperson race, Mr Robert Mugabe [PPP] garnered 196 votes, Stephen Odong Latek [NRM] got 4,758 votes and Mr Godfrey Oryem [Independent] who polled 3,970 votes.

Reported by Julius Ocungi, Francis Mugerwa, Ronald Tumusiime & Robert Muhereza