The ruling National Resistance Movement (NRM) national delegates conference held sessions at each of the district headquarters in Uganda to approve the endorsement of President Yoweri Museveni as the party national chairperson and presidential flag bearer for the 2021 Presidential election.
The same conference attracted a similar endorsement for Al-Hajji Moses Kigongo as the party first national vice chairperson. The source of the drama however, was the election of the second national vice chairperson (female) and the six regional vice chairpersons for Karamoja, eastern, northern, western, central and Kampala region.
The CEC election attracted a total of 26 candidates all vying for positions in the party’s top leadership.
Of all the other positions, it was the race for vice chairperson for Karamoja region that never got tense but ended up as a friendly campaign between the incumbent, Mr Simon Peter Aleper, and his sole rival, Mr Jimmy Lokoro Tebanyang.
Speaker Kadaga Vs Minister Namuganza
According to results declared by the NRM Electoral Commission Chairman Dr Tanga Odoi, this morning, the Speaker of Parliament, Rt. Hon. Rebecca Kadaga, scored 6,776 votes against the State Minister for Lands, Ms Persis Namuganza’s 3,882 votes; for the second national vice chairperson (female) slot.
The two ran a heated campaign with Namuganza saying she aimed to uproot the old out of the CEC and give it a fresh breath. Her campaign aims rubbed off many Kadaga sympathisers including opposition MPs like Betty Nambooze.
Dep. Speaker Oulanyah Vs Engola
With the successful smoking out of Lord’s Resistance Army (LRA) warlord Joseph Kony, Northern Uganda has been an NRM sweetheart and the race for the vice chairperson of the region attracted a lot of heat.
From the released results, Deputy Speaker Jacob Oulanyah scored 7,473 votes against the incumbent Sam Engola’s 1,665 votes. Timothy Okee Jokene got 895 votes while Dr Odongo Oledo secured 277 votes.
Mr Oulanyah premised his campaign on using his legal practice experience to influence policy making in CEC. He also told delegates that he had waited patiently for five years after being persuaded by President Museveni in 2015 to step down for Mr Engola.
Mike Mukula Vs Sanjay Tana
The position for the vice chairperson for eastern Uganda attracted four people against incumbent Capt Mike Mukula. After the CEC vetting however, he only had the former Tororo Municipality MP, Mr Sanjay Tana and Ms Christine Hariet Akello as his competitors.
With results from 16 districts yet to be tallied, the incumbent, Capt Mike Mukula, has got 5,818 votes against his closest rival Sanjay Tana who has 4,162 votes. Akello Christine the other candidate in the race has 162 votes.
Kampala Region
The race for vice chairperson for greater Kampala region attracted former Rubaga North MP, Mr Singh Katongole and Mr Salim Uhuru, to challenge incumbent Mr Godfrey Nyakana.
Katongole scored 4,503 votes against Nyakana’s 2,665 votes. Salim Uhuru came third with 2,466 votes.
Kyaligonza Vs Baryomunsi
Uganda’s Ambassador to Burundi, Maj Gen Matayo Kyaligonza, faced a lot of opposition for the position of vice chairperson western region as six people took part in the race.
The source of attention in the race however was mainly between Kyaligonza and the State Minister for Housing, Dr Chris Baryomunsi.
Chris Baryomunsi defeated the incumbent Maj Gen Matayo Kyaligonza with 5,947 votes against his 2,550. In the same race, Florence Kintu Tumwine came third with 1,875, followed by Muhangi Wilberforce with 1,255 votes, Boaz Kafuda fifth with 602 votes and Dr Diini Kisembo with 224 votes.
For vice chairman Buganda Region, Godfrey Kiwanda Ssuubi, the State Minister for Tourism, took the day after defeating his closest challenger Moses Karangwa Kalisa. Kiwanda got 4,749 votes against Karangwa’s 3,701. Other contestants in the race were Kiganda Twaha Ssonko who got 1,048 votes, Mayengo Moses who got 127 votes and Magaro John 675.
