Children of NRM bigwigs win flags in NRM primaries

MONITOR TEAM

KAMPALA- Most children of NRM bigwigs were declared winners and official party flag bearers in the hotly contested NRM primary elections for parliamentary seats held on Friday.

Among them are children of ministers who won in Kisoro District. Mr Paul Kwizera Bucyana, son of former Minister of Agriculture, Tress Bucyanayandi, was declared winner of Kisoro Municipality parliamentary seat after polling 4,452 votes, defeating the incumbent, Mr Sam Byibesho, who scored 3,409 votes.

But incumbent MP Sam Byibesho is contesting the results of the elections he claims were marred by several irregularities.

To the contrary, Kisoro District NRM party registrar, Mr Tadoe Bujambere, says the voting was peaceful across the district.

“We have 24 villages in Kisoro Municipality and the election was marred with several irregularities that include underage voting and registering voters on the polling day. I am waiting for the official results so that I can petition the NRM party offices,” Mr Byibesho said.

Ms Sarah Nyirabashitsi, the daughter of the State Minister for Regional Cooperation, Dr Philemon Mateke, was also declared winner and NRM flag bearer for Kisoro Woman MP seat after polling 62,483 votes, defeating incumbent Rose Kabageni, who polled 53,507 votes.

One of the opinion leaders in Kisoro, Mr Expedito Byensi, said whereas there were some claims of voter bribery, the ministers’ children went through because of the political support from their parents’ supporters.

“Those that won the elections in Kisoro District demonstrated that they convinced their voters properly because democracy was truly exercised in both the rural and urban villages,” Mr Byensi said.

In Mbarara City South Constituency, Minister Bright Rwamirama’s son, who is also the Western region MP, Mr Mwine Mpaka, won after defeating Mr Emmanuel Mbararabaki, Mr Deus Tumusiime, Mr Imam Kagiko, and Seth Muyambi.

It was an easy victory for him riding on the fact that he is already a Youth MP, and coming from a prominent family that has big businesses in town and his father being a minister and a long-time MP for the nearby Isingiro North constituency.

His father also again won Isingiro North flag. Others who won different NRM flags include Capt Babu’s son Cedric Babu, who won a flag for Kampala Central where his father Edward Francis Babu had represented Kampala Central constituency in Parliament for more than 16 years.

Ms Farida Nambi, the daughter of First National vice chairperson Hajj Moses Kigongo won the flag to run for Kampala District Woman MP seat.

In the same development, the youth representative at the NRM –CEC, Nasur Gaddafi trounced former Works Minster Abraham Byandala for the NRM flag to represent Katikamu North County in Luweero District.

In Nwoya County, Nwoya District, the Northern Youth MP Mr Oscar Omony Otema, who contested with his nephew, Tonny Awany, was defeated. Otema garnered 2,086, votes while Awany bagged 3,406.

Initially, Mr Omony was advised by the clan members to give way to his nephew something that he did not agree with.
Nakaseke
In Nakaseke District, Abdul Nadduli’s son failed at his first attempt in Nakaseke Central.
Mr Jakana Nadduli, the son of veteran politician and former NRM party National Vice Chairperson for Central, failed to make it at his first attempt to seek a political office as Nakaseke Central MP.

Nadduli, 34, who tussled it out with Ms Syda Bbumba Namirembe, the Nakaseke Central MP, and Mr Kasolo Sajjabi, another contestant, managed only 3,030 votes against Ms Bbumba’s 8,531 votes.

The NRM registrar declared Ms Bbumba as the winner and NRM flag bearer for Nakaseke Central constituency in Nakaseke District.

Nadduli, who had the full support of his father, unlike the other candidates, was blamed by voters of failing to have established a home in Nakaseke and was considered a visitor, who resides in the neighboring Luweero District.

Compiled by Felix Basiime, Robert Muhereza, Dan Wandera, Cissy Makumbi & Denis Opoka