NRM Tribunal Cancels Rwakimari Victory in Ruhaama, Zinkuratire handed Flag

The National Resistance Movement (NRM) Election Disputes Tribunal has cancelled the election of Beatrice Rwakimari as the party’s flag bearer for Member of Parliament in Ruhaama County, Ntungamo District. The tribunal has instead declared Henry Zinkuratire Nkwasiibwe as the rightful winner of the NRM primaries held on July 17, 2025.

This decision follows petitions filed by Zinkuratire and fellow candidate Richard Barungi, who accused the NRM Electoral Commission of serious irregularities during and after the voting process. They alleged that vote results were falsified, some polling stations were excluded from the tally without explanation, and the final re-tally of votes was done at the Commission headquarters without their participation.

The tribunal confirmed that results were falsified in 16 villages, including Kafunjo Central, Mpaama, Kabira, Buhanama, Nyakishojwa, Rweibumba, Katunguru, Kishanda, Nyamunuka, Rwanyangwe, Rucence, Nyakasharara, Kikoni, Rwengiri, and Nyakasa. In these areas, the actual Declaration of Results forms were found to be different from what was entered in the final tally sheet, and the alterations favored Rwakimari.

The tribunal also found that 22 polling stations located in five wards—Rushebeya, Mutojo, Rwenanura, Kabungo, and Rwemiyaga—were completely excluded from the final tally without any lawful reason. In addition, the tribunal found that results from 12 villages were completely omitted, despite having valid Declaration of Results forms. 

These villages, which together had 4,285 registered voters, included Nyamiko, Kyondo, Rugoma, Nyakagando, Nyakazinga, Kyarubare, Nyakahita, Kangarame, Ahakashansha, Itojo Trading Centre, Mutujo Central, and Rwenanura 1. Rwakimari had defended the Electoral Commission’s decision to move the tallying process to Kampala, saying the situation at the district tally center had become chaotic. 

However, the tribunal ruled that the Commission acted unlawfully, and its actions distorted the outcome of the election. “As a result, the Tribunal finds that the 1st Petitioner, Henry Zinkuratire Nkwasiibwe, is entitled to the reliefs sought. Upon correcting the tally, the 1st Petitioner secures 15,524 votes, thereby overtaking the 1st Respondent (Rwakimari) with 13,391 votes and the 2nd Petitioner (Barungi) with 12,965 votes. 

The Tribunal accordingly declares Henry Zinkuratire Nkwasiibwe as the validly elected NRM flag bearer with 15,524 votes,” reads the decision. The ruling was delivered by a panel comprised of lawyers Keneth Kipaalu, Stanley Kangye and Martin Mbanza Kalemera. Their decision was also confirmed and certified by the NRM Election Disputes Tribunal Chairperson, Counsel John Musiime. 

This ruling comes just weeks after Rwakimari was declared the winner on September 10, 2025, by the NRM Deputy Electoral Commission Chairperson Fred Jachan Omach, nearly two months after the primaries were held. That declaration followed a tribunal order directing the Electoral Commission to conclude the tallying process, which had been delayed due to missing results from several polling stations.

Initially, provisional results announced on July 17 by the NRM District Registrar Maria Mirembe had placed Zinkuratire in the lead with 15,601 votes, followed by Rwakimari with 13,845, and Barungi with 13,139. Because these results were marked as provisional and some areas had not yet reported, the Electoral Commission did not immediately announce a winner. 

Rwakimari and Barungi later filed petitions claiming voter intimidation, missing results, and other irregularities. However, the tribunal dismissed those early petitions as premature, stating that no final result had been declared yet. It then ordered the Commission to conclude the tally within two days.

Instead, three weeks later, the Electoral Commission declared Rwakimari the winner with 15,739 votes, followed by Zinkuratire with 12,943, and Barungi with 11,951. That declaration was then challenged, leading to the tribunal’s latest decision, which has now overturned Rwakimari’s victory and named Zinkuratire the rightful winner.

Ruhaama County is a known stronghold of the NRM and was previously represented in Parliament by the First Lady, Janet Kataaha Museveni, who currently serves as Minister of Education and Sports. The ruling comes just weeks before the Electoral Commission nominates parliamentary candidates on October 22–23, 2025, ahead of the 2026 general elections.