Bangumya, Kiryowa Elected NRM Flag Bearers for EALA

Fred Rwakaizi Bangumya and Stella Kiryowa have been elected the National Resistance Movement (NRM) flag bearers for Uganda’s two vacant seats in the East African Legislative Assembly (EALA) after defeating 34 other candidates in the party’s internal by-election.

According to the declaration of results signed by NRM Electoral Commission chairperson Dr. Tanga Odoi, Bangumya topped the poll with 127 votes (22.2 percent), while Kiryowa secured 99 votes (17.3 percent) out of 573 votes cast. They were followed by Juma Witonze, who garnered 81 votes (14.1 percent), Davis Akampurira and Godfrey Ssubi Kiwanda, who each received 53 votes (9.2 percent), and Phiona Rwandarugali with 50 votes (8.7 percent).

Other contenders included Emmanuel Babu Buhaburwa, who polled 20 votes (3.5 percent), Beatrice Karungi Balya with 15 votes (2.6 percent), and Ronald Musoke Mivule with 14 votes (2.4 percent). Three ballots were declared invalid. The election was conducted by the NRM Parliamentary Caucus during a meeting that also elected the caucus’s new executive committee.

Bangumya and Kiryowa will now be presented as the ruling party’s nominees for election by Parliament to represent Uganda in EALA, the legislative organ of the East African Community. The vacancies arose after former NRM EALA representatives Denis Namara and James Kakooza were elected to Uganda’s 12th Parliament in the January 2026 general elections.

The replacement process had initially been suspended following legal and procedural concerns over the replacement of sitting EALA members before the NRM reopened the nomination process and invited fresh applications from interested candidates. With the NRM commanding a majority in Parliament, Bangumya and Kiryowa are widely expected to secure election as Uganda’s newest representatives to the regional assembly.