Incumbent MPs in Isingiro win NRM residual elections

Isingiro, Uganda |  THE INDEPENDENT |   Two incumbent Members of Parliament in Isingiro District have retained their seats on the NRM ticket in the hotly contested residual elections. 

The residual elections were held in Bukanga County and Isingiro South. This follows petitions that were filed by two contestants from each of the counties protesting the September 5 primaries. They are Dr Moses Mpeirwe for Bukanga county and Gilbert Rwabambari for Isingiro South.

In Bukanga County, Stephen Kangwangye was declared the winner after his rival Moses Mpeirwe boycotted the elections. Kangwangye garnered 20,736 votes while Mpeirwe was given 10,498 votes, which he got last month.   

The election was carried out in the 26 contested villages. The other contestants who boycotted the residual elections were Arafa Kamoga and Abel Tumusiime who accused the NRM party chairperson, President Yoweri Museveni for failing to carry out a fair audit of the previous primary elections.  They claim the audit only catered for Stephen Kangwagye and Dr Moses Mpeirwe leaving them out.

Mpeirwe says that registrars, LC Chairpersons and security personnel, who the President said that should be prosecuted, interfered in the residual elections by intimidating and bribing the voters.

In Isingiro South, the residual elections were conducted in seven villages of Rujubuka, in Kikagate Sub County,  Nyabugando, Nyakamuri II, Nyakabungo, Nfasha, Kamubeizi, in Kamubeizi Town council and Katanga west in KiKagate Town council.

Alex Byarugaba Bakunda emerged winner with 15,769 votes while his closest rival Gilbert Rwabambari polled 15,483 votes.

Bakunda says that the residual election corrected the flaws of last month’s primaries.

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