Disagreements Mar Bwambara NRM elections, winner remains undeclared.

Rukungiri: The Bwambara sub-county National Resistance Movement (NRM) registrar, Jackson Mbabazi, on Friday May 16, 2025 failed to declare the winner of the sub-county NRM chairperson elections after sharp disagreements.

The elections held at the sub-county playground, had Frank Arinaitwe Rukanirwa and Ambrose Kibuka as candidates who are both aspiring MPs for Rujumbura constituency in the next general elections.

Before the elections, Kibuka had reportedly accepted to become Rukanirwa’s vice chairperson but he later changed his mind over yet to be known reasons.

A section of residents who had arrived at the sub-county playground to participate in the election said Kibuka received a phone call from unidentified source which they suspect ordered him to decline the vice chairpersonship position. 

After Kibuka’s hesitation to accept the position, he proposed that an election be held to which his main challenger Rukanirwa and the registrar Mbabazi accepted.

Despite Rukanirwa being visibly seen as winner of the vote that was held in lining up mode, he was never declared by the registrar after Kibuka failed to accept the election results.

While speaking to our reporter after the disputed election, Rukanirwa appealed to President Yoweri Museveni and other authorities to intervene, claiming he was poised to win but the registrar feared to declare the winner.

Voters, including Godwin Oworinawe and Herbert Kwikiriza, expressed frustration and disappointment, asserting their time and effort were wasted due to the registrar’s reluctance to declare the winner.