Why NRM lost Igara East by-election

Winner. Mr Mawanda and Mr Martial

BUSHENYI.

The polarising proposal to amend Article 102(b) of the Constitution and remove presidential age limits claimed its first political victim in the Igara East by-election with the National Resistance Movement (NRM) flag bearer, Mr Andrew Martial, losing out to the independent Michael Mawanda.
When the contentious scheme to remove presidential age limits started gathering dust, Mr Martial huffed and puffed as messages were posted on social media accounts indicating that he was against the proposed amendments.
Mr Martial, who was a protocol officer in State House before joining politics in 2016, stunned many by not passionately coming out to support a proposal that is being engineered to save the political life of his former boss-President Museveni.
The age-limit amendment is a more dicey issue in Igara East because it is being fronted by Mr Raphael Magyezi from the neighboring Igara West.

Age limit debate
Mr Museveni was quick to stoke the fires when he campaigned for Mr Martial this week, asking him to openly declare support for the removal of age limits. Mr Martial obliged and professed so.
But perhaps that was too little too late. Mr Martial’s flip-flopping ultimately cost him.
He lost his seat to Mr Michael Mawanda who polled 1,6209 votes (51 per cent) against Mr Martial’s 12,99 1votes (41 per cent). Mr Mawanda is an NRM-leaning independent who had lost in the primaries.
FDC’s Christine Ninsiima Bekunika polled 497 votes while Independents Benjamin Katana Kagiremire polled 1477, Bedads Kananura 480 and David Armstrong 76.
Mr Martial’s first year in Parliament also did little to endear him to his Igara East constituents as he kept a low profile even as he was rare figure in the constituency.

Power of the media
Mr Mawanda on the other hand used his radio stations to launch an offensive against Mr Martial hence ultimately dethroning him.
After being declared winner, Mr Mawanda thanked his voters and promised to build on the projects he had started during his first term in the ninth Parliament.
“I am very happy. It is an exercise that we started some two months ago. It was smooth despite some few challenges. I thank the people of Igara East for putting their trust in me. I will begin from where I had stopped last time because throughout the campaigns I found that most of the projects I had started have stalled,” Mr Mawanda said.