By KT Reporter
Five Members of Parliament affiliated with the ruling National Resistance Movement (NRM) party in the Tooro sub-region were defeated in the just-concluded general elections.
Of the five, two were official NRM flag bearers, while the remaining three were NRM-leaning candidates who lost in the party primaries and later contested as independents. In Fort Portal City Central Division, long-serving MP Alex Ruhunda was defeated by independent candidate Ronald Muhenda.
Muhenda garnered 10,956 votes against Ruhunda’s 7,461. Ruhunda, who had served as the NRM MP since 2011, was unseated by Muhenda, a new entrant on the political scene in Fort Portal.
In Kitagwenda District, veteran legislator Joseph Nulu Byamukama suffered a heavy defeat at the hands of Robert Mugabe, who secured 33,249 votes compared to Byamukama’s 1,881. Byamukama lost the 2025 NRM primaries and returned to the race as an independent candidate.
He has represented Kitagwenda in Parliament since 2006, although he lost his seat in 2016 to Abass Agaba Mugisha before making a comeback in 2021.
In Kyegegwa District, Flavia Kabahenda Rwabuhoro was defeated by Jackline Mugabirwe, who had earlier beaten her in the NRM primaries to secure the party flag. Mugabirwe polled 48,730 votes, while Kabahenda managed 25,634.
In the same district, Paul Asaba Nsabimana lost the Kyaka North Constituency seat to Vincent Kaheeru Freedom. Kaheeru, who had been defeated by Asaba in the NRM primaries, bounced back in the general election, securing 18,243 votes against Asaba’s 15,114.
Meanwhile, in the Kyenjojo District Woman Member of Parliament race, Faith Kunihira was defeated by her long-time political rival, Spellanza Baguma Muhenda.
Baguma obtained 61,056 votes, while Kunihira garnered 56,966. In the 2021 general elections, Kunihira had defeated Baguma, who was then the incumbent District Woman MP for Kyenjojo.
Baguma contested those results, petitioning the Electoral Commission over allegations of voter bribery and ballot stuffing, but she lost the case.
During the 2025 NRM party primaries, Kunihira once again defeated Baguma to retain the party flag. Baguma disputed the outcome and opted to contest as an independent candidate in the general elections, a move that ultimately led to her victory.
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