As internal conflicts continue among leaders of the National Resistance Movement (NRM) Party over support for their flag bearer in the Kisoro District Woman Member of Parliament by-election, Meble Ingabire, the Uganda People’s Congress (UPC) party candidate, has said she will capitalize on this division to win the seat.
Currently, NRM leaders are at odds over support for their candidate, Rose Kabagyeni. A faction of leaders, led by district party chairman Philemon Mateke, has publicly endorsed Independent candidate Grace Akifeza Ngabirano. They accuse Dr. Tanga Odoi, the NRM party Electoral Commission chair, of imposing Kabagyeni by rigging Akifeza’s victory. The group also claims that Odoi allowed Congolese refugees and school children in Nyakabande sub-county to vote, which they argue affected the election results.
Ingabire, however, views the internal disputes within the NRM as an opportunity to promote unity and peace among voters, ultimately securing their full support to win the election. In contrast, Mateke asserts that despite the NRM’s internal disagreements, there are no chances for UPC or any other opposition candidate to secure the seat. He acknowledges that while the NRM candidate is weak and was not favored by the majority during the party primaries, it will still be a challenge for other parties to prevail.
Rosemary Nansubuga Seninde, the NRM party’s Director for Mobilization, has acknowledged the internal tensions, admitting that there is significant bickering among party members in Kisoro. However, she emphasized that the party leadership is committed to addressing the grievances. Voting is scheduled for September 14, according to the Electoral Commission’s roadmap. The seat became vacant following the death of former Kisoro District Woman MP and State Minister for Defense and Veteran Affairs, Sarah Mateke Nyirabashitsi, who passed away on September 7, 2024, due to a heart attack.
