EC nominates six candidates for Kisoro woman MP seat to replace Mateke

Six candidates have been nominated to contest for Kisoro District Woman Parliamentary seat ahead of the November 14 by-election. 

The seat fell vacant in September 2024 after the then incumbent Ms Sarah Nyirabashitsi Matete died after a short illness.

The Kisoro District Electoral Commission Returning Officer, Mr Daniel Nayebare said that the nomination exercise ended on October 31 and named the candidates as Ms Rose Kabagyeni (NRM), Ms Akifeza Grace Ngabirano (Independent) , Ms Juliet Musanase (FDC), Ms  Chimpaye Aisha (People's Progress Party), Ms Mable Ingabire (UPC) and Ms Zubedi Sultan Salim (NUP).

EC commissioner Anthony Okello thanked all stakeholders for ensuring a successful exercise. He urged candidates to conduct peaceful campaigns, considering that there is life after elections.

“The entire nomination as you have witnessed has been peaceful. I would like to commend our candidates, media, security and other stakeholders for the role you played for a smooth exercise. I think this is an appropriate time for you to elect your leader. Listen to all the candidates and ensure that the electoral process is peaceful up to voting day on November 14,” Mr Okello said.

One of the nominated candidates, Ms Akifeza Grace Ngabirano said she chose to contest as an independent candidate due to irregularities in the NRM primary election which she lost after getting 39,179 votes while the winner Ms  Rose Kabagyeni polled 39,941 votes.

“Because of the irregularities during the NRM party primary elections, my supporters asked me to contest as an independent candidate and I accepted because I never wanted to disappoint them,” Ms Akifeza Grace Ngabirano said.

Meanwhile, National Unity Platform (NUP) party president Mr Robert Kyagulanyi, also known as Bobi Wine, led a procession through Kisoro town with the nominated party flag bearer, Ms Mukankwaya Tana, causing traffic to come to a standstill.

While speaking to supporters, Bobi Wine asked residents to vote out NRM to achieve development, criticizing the NRM government for ignoring agriculture, the backbone of the country's economy.

"Government fears opposition to tell people things that are going wrong. Kisoro and the entire Uganda are known as agricultural hub but the government has intentionally given it less time. You know what they did to vanilla, cotton in eastern Uganda, sugar canes in Busoga and what they want to do to coffee," Kyagulanyi asserted

Ms Mukankwaya Sultan Tana urged voters to remind the NRM government of its unfulfilled presidential pledges in Kisoro District that include the construction of John Kale Memorial institute and tarmacking tourism roads.