Independent candidate Caleb Turyamutunga, chairperson of the Kigezi Region Veterans Association, has been elected Local Council I (LC1) chairperson for Rwere Village in Muyanje Ward, Bubare Town Council, Rubanda District, following a tense and delayed election. Turyamutunga defeated National Resistance Movement (NRM) candidate John Tumuhimbise after voting was disrupted by protests over missing names on the voters’ register.
Under the Electoral Commission guidelines, voter verification was scheduled to begin at 9:00 a.m., with voting expected to end by 11:00 a.m. However, the exercise did not begin until about 2:00 p.m. after dozens of residents failed to find their names on the register.
The affected voters protested, insisting they had registered. Some alleged that the register had been altered to disenfranchise voters and favour one of the candidates.
The dispute prompted the intervention of Rubanda District Returning Officer Medard Nteziyaremye, Resident District Commissioner Ssenyonjo Kyeyune, police officers and personnel from the Uganda People’s Defence Forces (UPDF).
Nteziyaremye appealed for calm and directed polling officials to produce the original voters’ register for verification. Kyeyune also urged residents to remain peaceful, assuring them the matter would be resolved.
Former Prime Minister and Presidential Special Envoy Ruhakana Rugunda, who arrived at the polling station during the standoff, also appealed to residents to remain calm and elect their village chairperson peacefully.
After the original register was produced, Nteziyaremye, assisted by police and UPDF personnel, supervised the verification exercise before voting resumed.
Turyamutunga was declared the winner with 127 votes, defeating Tumuhimbise, who polled 107. Tumuhimbise left the polling station immediately after the results were announced and declined to comment.
Speaking after his victory, Turyamutunga commended election officials for ordering the production of the original voters’ register, saying it helped restore confidence in the process. He said he had initially supported Tumuhimbise during the NRM party primaries but later contested as an independent after falling out with him, accusing his former ally of betrayal.
He did not elaborate on the allegation. Turyamutunga pledged to improve infrastructure and education, promote patriotism, support government programmes, and fight corruption in the village. Nteziyaremye said producing the original voters’ register was the most practical way to resolve the dispute and ensure the election proceeded credibly.
He added that a similar problem occurred in Rusikizi Village, where officials used the same approach to resolve complaints over missing names. Despite isolated challenges, including missing names on voters’ registers in parts of Rubanda Town Council, Nteziyaremye said the village elections across the district were generally peaceful-URN. Give us feedback on this story through our email: kamwokyatimes@gmail.com
