The Chief-of-Defence Forces, Gen. David Muhoozi, and Col. Dr Victoria Nekesa, President Yoweri Museveni’s physician, scored the highest number of votes in the just concluded elections for UPDF representatives to Parliament, according to the Electoral Commission results.

The exercise, conducted on Friday by the EC at the Land Forces headquarters in Bombo, saw 10 UPDF representatives elected to the 11th Parliament.

Security minister Gen. Elly Tumwine who has been in Parliament since 1986, was defeated in the polls. The Constitution provides for 10 army representatives in Parliament, one third of whom are women as part of the special interest groups.

Gen. Tumwine and Gen. Edward Katumba Wamala, the works minister, were the only two incumbent members of Parliament who were nominated to contest for the army MPs seats.

Others in the race included the deputy chief-of-defence forces Lt. Gen. Wilson Mbadi, commander Reserve Forces Lt. Gen. Charles Otema Owany, commander Airforce Lt. Gen. Charles Lutaaya, chairperson general court martial Lt. Gen Peter Elwelu, Lt. Gen. James Mugira, Maj. Gen Sam Kiwanuka, Maj. Gen. Henry Matsiko, Maj. Gen James Kinalwa, Major Gen. Sam Kavuma, Brig Gen Francis Chemo and Brig Gen. Ogik Bob Paskiesky.

Four female officers — Col. Dr. Victoria Nekesa, Lt. Col. Charity Bainababo, Lt Col Susan Mwanga and Lt Col Dr Jennifer Alanyo — also contested.

Gen. Muhoozi garnered 335 votes. He was closely followed by Lt. Gen. Mugira, who polled 239 votes, Gen. Katumba 228, Maj. Gen Matsiko 223, Lt. Gen. Elwelu 218, Maj. Gen. Kavuma 204, Lt. Gen Mbadi 184, Lt. Gen. Gutti 135, Lt. Gen. Otema 129, Lt. Gen Lutwama 126, Brig. Gen. Ogiki 112, Maj. Gen. Okiding 106, Gen. Tumwine 104, Maj. Gen. Kiwanuka 83, Brig. Gen. Kisame 71, Brig. Gen. Kinalwa 71 and Brig. Gen. Chemo 50.

A total of 2,610 defence council members cast their votes and 12 votes were invalid.

For the female representatives, Col Dr Nekesa polled the highest votes — 339. Lt. Dr Alanyo polled 276, Lt. Col. Bainababo 282 and Lt. Col. Mwanga 247. 1,144 officers cast their votes for this category.

The winners announced by the EC returning officer Umar Kiyimba are Gen. David Muhoozi, Gen. Edward Katumba Wamala, Lt. Gen. Wilson Mbadi, Lt. Gen Peter Elwelu, Lt. Gen. James Mugira, Maj. Gen. Sam Kavuma, Maj. Gen. Henry Matsiko, Col. Dr Victoria Nekesa, Lt. Col. Charity Bainababo and Maj. Dr Jennifer Alanyo.

Incumbents who have been serving in the 10th Parliament and did not compete in this race included Lt. Gen Pecos Kutesa, Lt. Gen. Ivan Koreta, Brig Flavia Byekwaso, Capt Susan Lakot, Brig. Felix Kulayigye, Brig. Francis Takirwa, Brig Vicente Oula and Capt Evelyn Asiimwe.

Shortly after the elections, President Yoweri Museveni who is the Commander-in-Chief of the armed forces, called upon the new members of Parliament to support the seven key priority areas that include equipping the army, focus on roads, railway and water ways, electricity, health education, salaries for the scientists and the armed forces and wealth funds.

“In this new Government, I will insist on my priorities. So, when you go to parliament, please support my seven priorities. This time, no bad budgeting will go unopposed,” Gen. Museveni said. “We need to put more money in these sectors and we must do it,” he added. The President said the primary historical role of the army’s representation in Parliament is to listen to what is happening in Parliament and then report back to the army, so that it takes decisions as a force.

He added that this is on the account of the history of Uganda, which, like some other African countries, had become ungovernable and failed states. The members of the Constituent Assembly that debated the new constitution included 10 members of Parliament to represent the UPDF.

Museveni warned about poor budgeting and distribution in the coming Parliament and pledged to challenge such decisions using the powers given to him by the constitution as President.

“In the last 30 years, I have only used my powers against Parliament on about four occasions, including one in 2001 when we had a cabinet meeting in Gulu and I ordered that 23% must be cut from all ministries to give defence and defeat Kony and by August 2003 it was the turning point against Joseph Kony. The other was in 2006 when I insisted on putting more money on roads and electricity,” he said.

Defence deputy spokesperson Lt. Col. Deo Akiiki in an interview with the New Vision described the elections as free and fair.

“All the candidates in the race were given the same time and they freely campaigned and the voters exercised their free will to choose their preferred candidates in the house,” Akiiki said.

Speaking shortly after he had been elected, Muhoozi thanked members of the defence council for electing him to represent the army in Parliament. The 56-year-old Muhoozi is a lawyer who was appointed to the CDF position on January 9, 2017, replacing Gen. Katumba.

Muhoozi joined the National Resistance Army in 1985 and was commissioned on April 21, 1989 and then served as Defence Counsel for the General Court Martial. In 1997, he was assigned to the Chieftaincy of Military Intelligence (CMI), as Staff Officer General Duties. Over the years, he has served as Base Commander at the Entebbe Air Force Base, Chief of Staff, UPDF Air Force, Commander of Air Defence Division — Nakasongola Air Force Base, Commander of the Armoured Brigade — Masaka and Brigade Commander the Motorised Infantry Brigade — Nakasongola.

Gen. Katumba has been the works and transport minister since December 14, 2019. Previously, he served as the state minister for works.

He also previously served as CDF of the UPDF from 2013, until 2017. He was the commander of the land forces in the UPDF from 2005 to 2013. He also served as the inspector general of police (IGP) from 2001, until 2005.

Wamala was an officer in the Uganda National Liberation Army (UNLA) when the National Resistance Army (NRA) defeated the UNLA in 1986 and transitioned into the army.

Lt. Gen. Mbadi is the deputy CDF of the UPDF. He was appointed to that position in January 2017, replacing Lt Gen. Charles Angina. Mbadi served as Joint Chief of Staff of the UPDF between May 2013 and January 2017.

The 59-year-old Mbadi joined the Uganda military in 1986.

Lt. Gen. Elwelu joined the military in 1987. He is the current commander of the land forces. Prior to this, he was the commander of the UPDF 2nd division that headed the team that raided King Charles Wesley Mumbere’s palace in November 2016, following clashes between the royal guards and the army.

Lt. Col. Bainababo served previously as ADC to the First Lady, Janet Museveni. She is the commandant Presidential Police Guard.

Nekesa has served as a medical doctor to President Yoweri Museveni before she was sent to the UK for a course. She had just returned.

Brig. Gen. Matsiko is the current UPDF political commissar who was appointed to the position in 2017, replacing Brig. Felix Kulayigye. Prior to this, he was at the secretariat teaching patriotism.

Col. Dr. Alanyo is the head of the UPDF medical team.

Maj. Gen. Kavuma is the current Deputy Commander of the Land Forces, having been appointed to the position on December 2017. Prior to his current position, he served as the deputy commander of the UPDF Air Force, Commander of the UPDF Contingent in Somalia under the African Union Mission to Somalia (AMISOM).

Lt. Gen. Mugira is the managing director of the National Enterprise Corporation (NEC), the business arm of the UPDF. He was appointed to that position in April 2015. He also serves as the managing director of Luwero Defence Industries Limited, the small arms manufacturer owned by the UPDF, having served in that capacity since 2011.

Prior to this, he served as the Chief of Military Intelligence, and also commanding officer of the UPDF Armoured Brigade, based in Masaka.

Commissioner Ssebaggala Kigozi, a member of the electoral Commission representing EC chairperson Simon Byabakama commended the President and government for the facilitation extended to the Electoral Commission that, he said, enabled them to organise and conduct elections across the country.

Army representatives in Parliament are voted by the UPDF Defence Council, which is composed of members of the High Command, service chiefs, and directors of services, division commanders, Brigade commanders and battalion commanders.

Army representation in Uganda’s parliament began in 1994 during the Constituent Assembly. Ten seats would later be set aside for the officers.

However, there have been criticisms that they tend to vote with the ruling party along partisan lines, thus increasing the NRM majority in Parliament.

Only elections of the five youth representatives that take place tomorrow are left to complete the elections of all Members of the next Parliament.

Gen. Museveni urged the elected army MPs to support his seven priorities.