By KT Reporter
The Chairperson of the National Resistance Movement (NRM) Electoral Commission, Dr. Tanga Odoi, on Tuesday presided over a highly contested rerun of the Iganga B Women League elections between the Luuka District Woman MP, Esther Mbayo, and her rival, Justine Muwaga.
The rerun followed a petition by Mbayo after Muwaga was declared the winner in the initial polls held the previous week. In her petition, Mbayo cited several irregularities, including failure to adhere to the official voters’ register, which she claimed allowed non-residents to participate in the election.
Citing these concerns, Tanga nullified the earlier results and resolved to oversee the fresh elections personally. The venue was moved to a neutral location—Busiiro Secondary School in Waibuga Sub-county—about 10 kilometers from the previous polling station in Iganga B Village, Irongo Sub-county. On the afternoon of Tuesday, May 13, 2025, supporters of both Mbayo and Muwaga arrived in large numbers aboard coasters, sugarcane trucks, and motorcycles to cast their votes.
Tanga arrived at around 3:30 PM and initiated the process by engaging with the candidates and their agents before briefing the voters. The voting process began smoothly but was soon disrupted when some voters were accused of being non-residents of Iganga B. Tensions escalated further when Tanga barred young women aged between 18 and 35 from voting, stating that they fall under the party’s youth wing and should not participate in the Women’s League elections.
However, Justine Muwaga challenged this interpretation, citing Article 4, page 3 of the NRM constitution, which allows all women aged 18 and above whose names appear on the party register to participate in Women League elections. This dispute sparked further tension between the two camps, leading to accusations of voter fraud. The situation quickly deteriorated into chaos, with supporters and Electoral Commission officials hurling stones at each other.
In protest, Muwaga walked out of the polling station, accusing Tanga of unfairly disqualifying her supporters whose names were listed in the party register. Mbayo remained at the venue with her supporters, and the election process continued under Tanga’s supervision. Police and Uganda People’s Defence Forces (UPDF) were deployed to maintain order and ensure the Electoral Commission officials could proceed with the election-URN. Give us feedback on this story through our email: kamwokyatimes@gmail.com
