By KT Reporter
New faces have emerged as winners in the National Resistance Movement (NRM) Party’s internal elections, taking over key Vice Chairperson positions across the country. Most incumbents lost, with only Party Chairperson President Yoweri Kaguta Museveni and his immediate Vice Chairperson, Alhaji Moses Kigongo, retaining their positions unopposed.
The elections, held at Kololo Ceremonial Grounds, began Wednesday afternoon and ran through the night, concluding in the early hours of Thursday. By 4:30 a.m., all regional Vice Chairperson results had been announced. President Museveni, present throughout the day, remained at Kololo until around 5 a.m.
At around midnight, he personally left his tent to investigate delays in the voting process, which involved lining up behind candidates. His intervention ensured that only properly credentialed delegates voted, after which the process resumed smoothly. At 10:30 p.m., Dr. Tanga Odoi began declaring results, starting with the Eastern Region. David Calvin Echodu was confirmed Vice Chairperson after polling 5,211 votes (99.5%), defeating Mariam Naigaga, the Namutumba District Woman MP, who garnered 253 votes.
Other candidates, including Flight Captain Mike Mukula, had withdrawn during voting citing election irregularities and high levels of bribery. John Baptist Loki was declared the winner for Karamoja Region with 3,694 votes (81.1%). In Northern Region, Government Chief Whip Hamson Denis Obua defeated State Minister Sam Engola and Dan Kidega with 3,591 votes, representing 67.4%.
Before the announcement of the Western Region results, incumbent Vice Chairperson and Minister for ICT and National Guidance Dr. Chris Baryomunsi interrupted proceedings to lodge a complaint before President Museveni. He alleged that some candidates had ferried groups of about 200 youths, whom he called “bayaye from Kampala,” to vote at multiple polling stations. He criticized the Tanga Odoi-led commission for allowing this, describing the exercise as a sham and an embarrassment.
President Museveni responded, calling the allegations “a simple matter” that could be verified by the Criminal Investigations Department, promising a post-election review, which he referred to as a “postmortem,” but urging voting to continue.
Baryomunsi rejected the proposal, insisting the methodology was flawed and that it was impossible to distinguish genuine delegates from non-delegates. Despite his protest, the process continued. Electoral Commission Chairperson Dr. Tanga Odoi declared Jornad Asiimwe Akiiki as the newly elected Vice Chairperson for the Western Region. Akiiki garnered 4,044 votes, defeating Baryomunsi, who received 2,303 votes. Other contestants included Igara East MP Michael Mawanda (0 votes), Lauben Bwengye Muhangi (55 votes), Bruce Kamugisha (339 votes), Dick Kamuganga Nuwamanya (49 votes), Enock Byarubaga Barigye (60 votes), and Innocent Atuhe (11 votes).
In Kampala Region, Salim Uhuru won with 2,411 votes, defeating Singh Katongole, who received 1,375 votes. The fiercest contest was in the Central Region, previously held by Godfrey Kiwanda Suubi. Before voting, three candidates—Hakim Kyeswa, Joseph Sewaava Mukasa, and Kiwanda—stepped down in favor of State Minister for Microfinance Haruna Kasolo. The race between Kasolo and Moses Karangwa Kariisa saw Kasolo narrowly win with 4,194 votes against Karangwa’s 3,981 votes.
The results were announced around 5 a.m. Following the declarations, President Museveni congratulated all winners and advised those dissatisfied with the results to remain calm, assuring them that any irregularities could be traced and addressed appropriately. He is expected to officially close the week-long Delegates Conference and formally introduce the newly elected CEC members to the National Conference.
Museveni will also be unveiled as the party’s official unopposed candidate for the 2026 Presidential Elections.
Anita Annet Among, Speaker of Parliament, was elected NRM Second National Vice Chairperson (Female), securing a landslide victory with 11,680 votes (92.8%) over her rival Rebecca Kadaga, who received 902 votes (7.2%). Asiimwe Akiiki described the elections as smooth and thanked President Museveni for staying late to oversee the process. Indirectly referring to Minister Baryomunsi’s protest, he said losers often blame the system while winners view it as credible. He called for unity and urged members to accept the results.
Government Chief Whip Denis Obua, elected NRM Vice Chairperson for Northern Uganda, hailed the process and pledged to focus on consolidating party support and improving service delivery. He acknowledged that money had influenced some races but maintained that his victory was genuine, stressing that the NRM’s survival must rest on ideology and principles, not financial inducements.
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