Incumbent Akugizibwe Defeated in Mwenge North Vote Recount

The NRM Electoral Commission has finally declared David Muhumuza as the flag bearer for Mwenge North, Kyenjojo district after a vote recount. 

According to results declared by Dr. Tanga Odoi, the NRM Electoral Commission Chairperson, Muhumuza has garnered 23,824 votes against the incumbent Lawrence Akugizibwe who got 22,983 votes. The third candidate in the race Leo Musinguzi has polled 1,079 votes. 

Last month, after the NRM party primaries, the Kyenjojo District NRM Registrar Winnie Ngobi declared Akugizibwe as the winner of the race with 33,435 votes and Muhumuza with 23,276 votes. 

However, Muhumuza and his supporters rejected the results, saying they were not corresponding with those on the declaration forms from his agents. He also said there was no transparency in the counting of votes and, to show their dissatisfaction, they camped at the tally centre. To calm the situation, police used teargas to disperse the rowdy supporters the next day. 

A few days later, Dr. Odoi went to to the district  and promised to recount the votes and release the results himself which have today confirmed Muhumuza as the winner. 

By the time of filling this story, Akugizibwe could not be reached for a comment about Odoi's declaration. 

It should be remembered that Muhumuza represented Mwenge North in Parliament from 2011 up to 2016 after he defeated Tom Butime, the current Minister of Tourism. But in 2016, he lost to Akugizibwe. 

After Butime's loss, Mwenge Central was created and now he has also been confirmed as the flag bearer even though his rivals Richard Kusemerwa, Harlod Rugonge and Wilfred Musiime, had contested the results.

Akugizibwe becomes the third incumbent to lose in the concluded NRM party primaries in Kyenjojo. The incumbent  Woman MP lost to Dr. Faith Kunihira while in Mwenge South, the incumbent Aston Kajara lost to Don Katalihwa.