Three Incumbents in Kisoro Defeated in NRM Primaries

Three Members of Parliament in Kisoro district have lost in the NRM party primaries.

They include Rose Kabagenyi, the Woman Member of Parliament who lost to Sarah Mateka Nyirabashitsi.  Kabagenyi polled 53,209 while Nyirabashitsi was declared the winner with 62,388 votes.

Samuel Kwizera Bitangaro Member of Parliament for Bufumbira County South lost to Eng Alex Niyonsaba Seruganda alias Supa Seru, a retired Uganda People Defense Forces (UPDF) solder attached to Engineering Brigade.  Seruganda was declared the winner with 26,397 while Bitangaro polled 5, 550 votes.

Paul Kwizera Buchana polled 4,452 votes to defeat the incumbent Sam Byibesho as the NRM flag bearer for Kisoro Municipality.  Byibesho got 3,409 votes.

In Kanungu District, the State Minister for Housing, Dr Chris Baryomunsi won in Kinkiizi East County.  Baryomunsi was declared winner on Saturday by Alex Turyahikayo, the Kanungu District NRM registrar. He garnered 21,299 votes against Deus Nkwasibwe who polled 19,616 votes.

Osiaf Kasya got 3,387 votes while Francis Niwagaba trailed with 13 votes. The hotly contested were marred by counter-accusations of intimidation and voter bribery from Baryomunsi and Nkwasibwe.

On Wednesday, Rev Fr. Andrew Tumukurate, the Rutenga Catholic parish priest and Rev Fr. Marius Byamukama attached to Kitanga Catholic Parish in Kashambya sub-county, Rukiga district were arrested by heavily armed plain-clothed security personnel for bribing voters in favour of Nkwasiibwe but later released on police bond.

On Friday Rev Herbert Kiconco the Kinkizi diocesan cashier was allegedly assaulted and injured by soldiers attached to Baryomunsi’s camp accusing him of supporting Nkwasiibwe.

Nkwasiibwe strongly protested the results citing massive vote rigging by Baryomunsi.

Nkwasiiwe also accused Turyahikayo for conniving with Baryomunsi to announce results from villages that don’t exist in the constituency. He says that he will petition the party electoral commission demanding for annulment of the election.

In Kinkiizi West, James Ruugimana Kaberuka polled 32,134 votes to retain the flag, defeating his closest contender Gregory Mugabe who polled 14,173 votes. The other candidates, Julius Mbabazi got 1,437 votes, Vanansio Mujuni got 374 while Adon Kahinda got 52 votes.