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Five nominated for Bukimbiri County by-election

Mr Eddie Kwizera Wa-Gahungu (middle) gestures together with his supporters after he was nominated to contest for the Bukimbiri County by-election in Kisoro District on Tuesday. Photos | Robert Muhereza

By  Robert Muhereza  &  Leonard Mbishinzimana

What you need to know:

  • The Kisoro District EC Returning Officer, Mr Daniel Nayebare identified the candidates as; Mr Joshua Mutabazi (NUP) Mr Asgario Turyagyenda (Ind) Mr Eddie Kwizera Wa-Gahungu (NRM), Mr Edward Mutabazi (Ind) and Mr James Owebeyi (FDC)

Five candidates have been duly nominated to contest for the Bukimbiri County by-elections in Kisoro District scheduled to take place on August 11.

The Kisoro District EC Returning Officer, Mr Daniel Nayebare identified the candidates as; Mr Joshua Mutabazi (NUP) Mr Asgario Turyagyenda (Ind) Mr Eddie Kwizera Wa-Gahungu (NRM), Mr Edward Mutabazi (Ind) and Mr James Owebeyi (FDC).

“The nomination exercise was successfully concluded on Tuesday and on Wednesday we shall have the candidates’ campaign harmonization meeting and the campaigns shall last for only seven days after which the elections shall be held on August 11. Bukimbiri County has seven sub-counties, 72 polling stations and about 32,000 voters,” he said on Tuesday.

Related

The court of appeal in June this year ordered for fresh elections after Mr Owebeyi (FDC) won an election appeal against Mr Kwizera (NRM). Kwizera had been declared the winner of the January 2021 election with 11,821 votes defeating his opponents; Mr Turyagyenda, 11,330 votes, Mr Owebeyi, 107 votes and Mr Martin Muhereza (Ind), 167 votes.

The Bufumbira North MP John Kamara (NRM), and the Kisoro Municipality MP Paul Bucyana (NRM), escorted Mr Turyagyenda (Ind) to the nomination centre, arguing that he is a better candidate than the NRM party flagbearer Mr Kwizera.

Kisoro Municipality MP Paul Bucyana (L) and the Bufumbira North MP Mr John Kamara (R) in congratulate Mr Asgario Turyagyenda (Ind) after he was nominated on Monday

The State Minister for Youth and Children Affairs, Ms Sarah Nyirabashitsi Mateke, the NRM party first vice chairman, Mr Al-hajji Moses Kigongo, the NRM party director for communication Mr Emmanuel Dombo, the NRM party deputy treasurer Ms Jacqueline Kyatuheire and the Kisoro District NRM party chairman Dr Philemon Mateke escorted Mr Kwizera to the nomination centre.

Dr Mateke declared the NRM party MPs decided to support the independent candidate as rebels who will soon face disciplinary action.

“For now refer to those MPs as rebels to our party because they defied the party decision. We no longer count on them and I am now making consultations before disciplinary action can be taken against them,” he said, adding that they were sure of winning the election.

Mr Kamara defended their decision saying: “Supporting an independent NRM-leaning candidate is not rebellion because we have always seen independent candidates being appointed as ministers after defeating NRM party flag bearers.” 

In the headlines