NRM’s Nabayiga wins Kalangala Woman MP by-election

National Resistance Movement (NRM) candidate Aidah Nabayiga has been declared the winner of the Kalangala District Woman Member of Parliament by-election. Kalangala District Electoral Commission Returning Officer Ronald Agaba declared Nabayiga elected at 2:53 am on Thursday after she secured 12,642 votes.

Her main challenger, Irene Nampala of the opposition National Unity Platform (NUP), came second with 7,474 votes. Independent candidate Sarah Babirye followed with 244 votes, Hellen Flavia Nagawa scored 217 votes, while Agnes Nassuna came last with 34 votes.

The results were declared from a total of 21,038 votes cast by voters at 115 polling stations across Kalangala District. A total of 427 votes were rejected as invalid, while 67 ballot papers were spoilt. Electoral Commission Chairperson Justice Simon Mugenyi Byabakama commended the candidates and voters for maintaining peace throughout the campaigns and polling exercise.

He said the commission did not record any major incidents and praised both candidates and voters for demonstrating tolerance during and after the election. Nabayiga returns to Parliament after losing the Kalangala Woman MP seat in the 2021 general elections, having previously served for one term.

She also lost the last general election to NUP’s Hellen Nakimuli, who later died before taking the oath of office. Speaking shortly after being declared the winner, Nabayiga said she will focus on restoring unity among the people of Kalangala, strengthening the NRM party, and reviving stalled public service projects.

However, before the final declaration of results, NUP candidate Irene Nampala and her team contested the outcome, alleging manipulation of the declaration of results forms. Nampala claimed that in some polling stations, her agents were chased away by security personnel before results were allegedly altered and submitted to the tally centre. 

She also alleged that in some areas of Kyamuswa County, the number of ballot papers counted exceeded the registered voters on the Electoral Commission register, which she described as evidence of electoral malpractice. Nampala said despite raising the concerns, the Returning Officer did not adequately address them, adding that her team had collected evidence to guide their next course of action.