MICHAEL N
Two candidates who lost in the NRM primaries have been duly nominated for the position of LC5 Chairperson in Ntungamo District, joining the NRM flagbearer and incumbent chairperson Samuel Mucugunzi on the ballot.
The nominations, which concluded today at the Electoral Commission offices in Ntungamo District, saw John Kabeeho and Naboth Mpiwire—both former NRM aspirants—return as independent candidates after failing to get redress in the NRM tribunal.
The three candidates now duly nominated by Ntungamo District Electoral Commission Registrar Latifu Ngozi are: Samuel Mucugunzi – Incumbent LC5 chairperson and NRM flagbearer, John Kabeeho – LC5 councilor representing Rubaare Sub County, running as an independent and Naboth Mpiwire – LC5 councilor representing Ntungamo Sub County, running as an independent
Speaking after his nomination, incumbent LC5 chairperson Samuel Mucugunzi thanked everyone who contributed to his successful nomination. He highlighted his achievements during the past four years, including organizing district council meetings, increasing staff numbers, and improving service delivery. Mucugunzi noted that Ntungamo District was ranked number 26 among the best-performing districts in the country in terms of proper use of government funds. He pledged to continue promoting proper leadership, unity, accountability, and effective utilization of government resources.
Independent candidate John Kabeeho, the LC5 councilor for Rubaare Sub County, also spoke after his nomination. He promised to focus on promoting accountability and improving coordination among all district departments. Kabeeho criticized the NRM primaries, claiming they were marred by irregularities, vote rigging, and alteration of declaration forms at the tally center, which he says unfairly handed victory to Mucugunzi. He revealed that he chose the symbol of a “clock” for his campaign as a sign that it is “the right time for Ntungamo District to change.”
Naboth Mpiwire, another independent candidate, expressed optimism that the Electoral Commission will be more transparent and fair compared to the NRM primaries and tribunal process, which he said failed to address complaints about vote rigging and altered declaration forms.
Meanwhile, Latifu Ngozi, the Ntungamo District Electoral Commission Registrar, confirmed that today marked the final day for nominating LC5 chairpersons and councilors. He noted that the exercise would run the whole day as long as candidates presented all required documents and signatures from their respective sub-counties.
Latifu also revealed that Ntungamo District has 34 sub-counties, 758 polling stations, and 315,037 registered voters who will participate in the elections. The district comprises five constituencies, 135 parishes and wards, and 1,033 villages.
