NRM Primaries Results Cancelled in Kapchorwa, Namutumba

The Central Executive Committee (CEC) of the ruling National Resistance Movement (NRM) has nullified the party’s Kapchorwa District parliamentary primary elections.

The CEC cited widespread irregularities. The elections, held on Thursday, July 17, were reportedly marred by procedural flaws, prompting a crisis meeting with MP aspirants at the NRM Secretariat headquarters in Kampala. 

During the meeting, the CEC resolved to organize fresh elections, with a new date expected to be communicated no later than August 10, 2025. In its resolution, the CEC also dismissed the district registrar, Akram Kamonges, over alleged mismanagement of the electoral process. 

He has been replaced by Isaac Chepkurui, who will serve as acting registrar and coordinate the re-run in partnership with officials from the party’s national secretariat. 

Susan Chemutai, one of the Woman MP aspirants, welcomed the CEC’s decision. “It’s a commendable move by the NRM leadership to ensure justice is served. This decision restores trust among the electorate,” she said. 

Juliet Baula Cheboyin, another aspirant who had earlier threatened to quit the party, also expressed satisfaction. “We had considered defecting due to what happened, but now that a rerun has been declared, we are encouraged to stay and contest fairly,” she noted. 

Supporters of various candidates also applauded the CEC’s intervention and pledged to participate peacefully in the upcoming polls. The NRM Electoral Commission reaffirmed its commitment to delivering a free, fair, and transparent electoral process in Kapchorwa.

Relatedly……………..The zonal police commander overseeing the NRM primaries in the Busoga sub-region, AIGP Moses Kafeero, has canceled the election results of Namutumba district due to irregularities during the voting process. Kafeero announced this decision on Friday while addressing NRM contestants and agents at Basoga Nsadhu Memorial Technical Institute.

Kafeero said the cancellation was made in consultation with the NRM Electoral Commission Chairperson, Tanga Odoi, citing inconsistencies that posed security risks in the district.

The NRM polls across the country closed on Thursday afternoon at around 2:00 PM. While most electoral areas submitted their results on time, results from Kibaale sub-county in Bukono constituency were missing. Kibaale is the stronghold of Katoko Maganda, who, like the incumbent State Minister Persis Namuganza, was contesting for the NRM flag in Bukono.

The delay prompted security intervention following intelligence reports alleging that Maganda was manipulating declaration of results forms to his advantage. Detectives arrested Maganda and his agents as they were caught red-handed altering the forms. All declaration forms from Kibaale were impounded, and Maganda was detained at Namutumba Central Police Station over election malpractice.

Following this, Namutumba NRM registrar Richard Mwanjja canceled the Kibaale results and resolved to tally the rest of the sub-counties’ votes. These tallies showed Betty Nakisiita leading ahead of the incumbent Namutumba District Woman MP, Mariam Naigaga.

In the early hours of Friday, Naigaga disputed the decision, demanding the inclusion of Kibaale results in the final tally, but Mwanjja declined. The standoff lasted over three hours, with Mwanjja receiving multiple calls from senior officials via Naigaga’s phone.

Later, Mwanjja announced that Dr. Tanga Odoi had instructed him to tally the Kibaale results regardless of the irregularities, reversing his earlier ruling. This announcement sparked fistfights at the tally center, with protests from the public listening via radio. The clashes lasted nearly three hours despite security efforts to restore calm.

In response to the unrest and electoral irregularities, Kafeero decided to cancel the Namutumba election results altogether to maintain security.