By KT Reporter
A political firestorm has engulfed Ntuusi Sub-County, where LCIII chairperson Emmanuel Kamihingo is locked in a bitter duel with independent contender George William Higiro ahead of the 2026 general elections.
What would ordinarily be a low-profile local race has morphed into a district-wide spectacle, drawing in two of Ssembabule’s most influential figures: Lwemiyaga County MP Theodore Ssekikubo and his new rival, Gen. Emmanuel Rwashande, the recently declared National Resistance Movement (NRM) flag bearer for the constituency.
Bosco Byaruhanga, a resident of Kalushonshomezi village, says the LCIII contest has become a symbolic battleground for a much larger political struggle. He told URN: “This has become a proxy war. What began as a routine local election has escalated into a bitter fight between Ssekikubo and Gen. Rwashande,” pointing to widening cracks between the two camps.
The contest escalated after Kamihingo petitioned the Electoral Commission (EC) Tribunal, challenging Higiro’s nomination. Through Gakire Nkunda & Company Advocates, Kamihingo alleges that several of Higiro’s nomination signatures were illegally procured. His legal team claims many voters were misled into believing they were signing forms related to President Museveni’s nomination or Parish Development Model activities, only for their signatures to appear on Higiro’s endorsement papers.
According to the petition, numerous voters later disowned the signatures when contacted by the EC, and some admitted never having met Higiro. Of the 28 supporters listed for his candidacy, more than half reportedly rejected their signatures, including 13 illiterate residents who could not read what they were allegedly signing. The legal showdown has attracted heavyweight backing. Ssekikubo, through Alaka & Company Advocates, is openly supporting Higiro before the tribunal—a move that has intensified proceedings.
Kamihingo, meanwhile, is believed to be receiving quiet support from Gen. Rwashande, though his lawyer maintains the petition is driven by voter concerns, not external forces. Tensions peaked during a heated EC session when Ssekikubo accused Kamihingo’s lawyer of coaching petitioners and relying on improperly obtained evidence. The confrontation spiraled until EC staff and counterterrorism police intervened.
Higiro has now filed a cross-petition challenging Kamihingo’s own nomination, dated 25th November, 2025. The petition reads in part: “On the contrary, it is the petitioner (now cross-correspondent), Mr. Kamihingo, who was irregularly and illegally nominated in violation of the law.”
It further claims: “A further perusal of the cross-correspondent’s nomination documents reveals that all the 20 signatures from Bwogero Ward, Kamizire Ward, and Kashozikamwe purportedly supporting the candidature of the cross-correspondent were forged. The handwriting is uniform and identical, and the names were extracted from the Parish Development (PDM) beneficiaries list rather than genuine nominators.”
The petition asks the Electoral Commission to invoke Section 15(1) of the Electoral Commission Act, Cap. 176, to declare Kamihingo illegally nominated as LCIII Chairman for Ntuusi Town Council for the 2026–2031 term. It also seeks a declaration that the seconder Batimba Misearch and proposer Kashungwe Zabrion are forgeries and non-existent.
Higiro’s team further wants all allegedly forged signatures struck from the record, and Kamihingo disqualified from the race. “Denominate and disqualify Mr. Kamihingo Emmanuel from participating in the elections for Chairperson LC III, Ntuusi Town Council, and grant any other relief the Honourable Commission deems just and equitable in the circumstances,” the petition concludes.
Kamihingo’s political journey has long been dogged by controversy. Recent reports accuse him of sponsoring youth groups to violently disrupt political meetings, a claim he dismisses as a calculated smear campaign orchestrated by rivals. Despite the accusations, Kamihingo remains a formidable force on the ground, leveraging established networks and commanding loyalty among Ntuusi voters. His re-election bid is widely viewed as central to the district’s shifting power dynamics.
The LCIII battle unfolds alongside another defining showdown: Ssekikubo’s challenge to Gen. Rwashande’s NRM nomination for Lwemiyaga County. Ssekikubo questions the General’s academic qualifications, arguing he lacks the minimum educational requirements to contest for Parliament. He further claims some listed seconders are not registered voters and accuses electoral officials of attempting to secretly amend nomination papers.
Rwashande dismisses the allegations, saying the NRM’s clearance confirms his legal eligibility. Both disputes are now before the Electoral Commission Tribunal, with rulings expected to significantly alter Ssembabule’s political trajectory. If Higiro’s nomination is annulled, the LCIII race could be reset, escalating tensions. Similarly, a disqualification of Rwashande would force the NRM into an unexpected re-selection process at the height of campaign season.
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