Kangwangye, Bakunda Retain NRM Flags in Isingiro NRM Residual Election

The ruling National Resistance Movement (NRM) Electoral Commission (EC) declared Bukanga County MP Stephen Rwakanuma Kangwagye and his Isingiro South counterpart Alex Byarugaba Bakunda its flag bearers in the forthcoming parliamentary elections.

The party had forced the two incumbent MPs into repeat polls after their opponents petitioned NRM EC and Elections Tribunal over the irregularities in the September 04 primaries.

“There was a lot of violence in intimidation in our party primaries the reason why we petitioned,” Gilbert Rwabambari, one of the contestants in Isingiro South, told The Pearl Times.

BUKANGA

Kangwagye retained his flag in Bukanga County after his opponent opted out of the election at the last hour.

Mpeirwe, on October 06, at around 6PM, through his lawyers of Ngaruye Ruhindi, Spencer & Co Advocates announced he would boycott the poll, citing irregularities, including a move by EC Chairperson Dr Tanga Odoi to rearrange four polling stations.

In the end, Kangwagye polled 20,736.

The NRM EC gave Moses Mpeirwe, who never participated in the repeat poll, his September 04 result: 10,498 votes.  

There were 26 contested villages.

These included: Bugango II, Keminazi and Rumuri in Bugango Town council, and Bwizi, Nyamarungi A, Nyamarungi B, Nyamarungi Central and Bugaaga all in Mbaare Sub County.

Others were: Buhunga 1 and II, Akatojo, Rwabaganda, Ntura, Ekinazi, Matara, Kamwema, Rwekishwaga and Ntaramo in Endinzi Sub County.

In Endizi Town Council, Kikooba A and B, Kabarongo, Katanga A and B, and Kamaya A all had their election results under dispute.

Kangwagye is still confident he will win the election even if his opponent comes as an independent in general election.

“The people of Bukanga are still here. So, I will wait for whoever comes because the people of Bukanga have decided,’’ said Kangwagye

ISINGIRO SOUTH

In Isingiro South, the repeat election was conducted in seven villages.

Voting was conducted in Rujubuka, Nyabugando, Nyakamuri II, Nyakabungo, Nfasha, Kamubeizi, and Katanga west in Kikagate Sub county, Kamubeizi and KiKagate Town Councils.

In these, Bakunda polled 826 while his opponent managed 649 votes.

The final tally for all the polling stations gave Bakunda a total of 15,483 votes against Rwabambari’s 14,834 votes.

The coordinator of the NRM party in charge of south western region Dr Dixon Kamukama was glad the re-election had put right the imperfections of the last election.