By Cyprian Musoke and Catherine Bekunda

THE National Resistance Movement (NRM) has conceded defeat in the just-concluded Mukono North parliamentary byelection, and congratulated opposition candidate Betty Nambooze, the winner.

Nambooze of the Democratic Party got 16,142 votes, against the ruling NRM’s Bakaluba Mukasa’s 14,302. Nabooze beat Bakaluba by 1,840 votes.

NRM secretary general Amama Mbabazi said although Bakaluba put up a good campaign and overcame many problems of division, the vote was affected by low voter turn-up.

“We are analysing the cause of our defeat so that we prepare better next time, but the low turn-up affected us the most,” he said.

The campaigns attracted NRM bigwigs, including President Yoweri Museveni, Mbabazi, ministers and MPs, who campaigned for Bakaluba.

Asked if the vote meant that NRM support in Buganda was waning, Mbabazi said on the contrary, NRM enjoys popular support in the region.
“Mukono North is not a typical voting pattern for Buganda.

Even last time, the margin between the two was small, the reason why Nambooze went to court. NRM enjoys popular support in Buganda because it fights popular causes,” he said.
Bakaluba beat Nambooze in 1996 by about 300 votes.

Recently, the opposition took another byelection in Mbale municipality. Mbabazi said this was the reason why the opposition should cease doubting the Electoral Commission’s ability to carry out free and fair elections next year.

He also praised the Police, saying they showed they can do a good job.
Party spokesperson Mary Karooro Okurut congratulated Nambooze and other participants for “showing active and mature standards”.

“While the NRM would wish to win every available seat, it is not possible in a vibrant democracy like it’s today in Uganda,” the statement read.

Karooro hailed the Electoral Commission for organising a transparent poll contrary to the “false claims by opposition groups”.

She appealed to Ugandans to participate in the on-going registration being conducted by the commission. “It is only through voting that we can consolidate peace and also witness possible change of leaders through peaceful means,” she said.

Meanwhile, opposition leaders argued that Nambooze’s win does not change their opinion that the Electoral Commission is not credible.

Ibrahim Semujju Nganda, the spokesperson of the Inter-Party Co-operation, a loose grouping of parties planning to field a joint candidate next year, said the election had shattered the opposition because it proved that the commission is not in charge of the electoral process.

He also argued that a clean national voter register, which includes all people’s names, would further promote a free and fair election.

In a reaction, commission chairman Badru Kiggundu said the voting was smooth and thanked all stakeholders that contributed towards the success.

Asked why and how results in Kalagala were changed from 176 to 500 votes in favour of Bakaluba Mukasa, while those of Nambooze where changed from 125 to 50, vice-chairman Joseph Biribonwa promised an investigation.