By KT Reporter
Harriet Mugenyi Businge, the incumbent Hoima District Woman Member of Parliament, has conceded defeat in the recently concluded parliamentary elections and called for peace, unity, and harmony among the people of Hoima. Businge, who contested on an Independent ticket, was defeated by her long-time political rival Beatrace Wembabazi of the National Resistance Movement (NRM) Party. According to the final results, Wembabazi garnered 35,811 votes against Businge’s 14,725 votes.
Other contenders included Susan Asiimwe, also an Independent candidate, who secured 5,779 votes, while Venna Mulindwa of the National Unity Platform (NUP) came last with 3,381 votes. Since the declaration of the results, Businge had maintained silence. However, while speaking to Uganda Radio Network (URN), she said she accepts the outcome of the election and urged her supporters to remain peaceful and co-exist with supporters of her rivals. Businge also congratulated Wembabazi upon her victory and pledged to work with her to deliver better services to the people of Hoima, the Bunyoro sub-region, and the country at large.
The election outcome follows earlier political setbacks for Businge during the NRM primary elections, where she suffered a major defeat to Wembabazi, popularly known as Teacher Mummy. In those primaries, Wembabazi polled 13,795 votes, representing 39 percent, while Businge obtained 11,407 votes, representing 32 percent. Susan Asiimwe came third with 10,337 votes, accounting for 29 percent.
The primaries were marred by controversy after the Hoima District Registrar, Joseph Kutegeka, initially declared two different winners for the same seat. On July 17, 2025, Kutegeka first announced Wembabazi as the winner with 19,598 votes (44.8 percent), ahead of Busing,e who had polled 13,844 votes (37.8 percent), and Susan Asiimwe with 10,225 votes (23.3 percent).
However, shortly after the announcement, Kutegeka reversed his decision and declared Businge the winner, assigning her the same vote tally of 19,598 votes (44.8 percent) that had earlier been attributed to Wembabazi. Wembabazi later petitioned the NRM Electoral Commission, chaired by Dr Tanga Odoi, citing irregularities in the electoral process. The commission subsequently declared Wembabazi as the genuine winner of the NRM primaries.
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