The National Resistance Movement (NRM) has nominated Eddie Kwizera as their flagbearer for Bukimbiri County by-election in Kisoro.

The re-nomination of Kwizera came after his victory was nullified by the Court of Appeal Justices Eva K. Luswata and Frederick Engonda Ntende who ruled that Kwizera was wrongly elected as the Bukimbiri County MP in which they ordered another by-election in the area.

The ruling follows a petition which indicated that the ballot paper for Bukimbiri County Constituency elections had the wrong names of other candidates on the polling day.

Kwizera was nominated on July 30 amidst a huge crowd of NRM supporters, locals and religious leaders.

Jacqueline Kyatuhaire the Deputy National Treasurer interacting with Sarah Nyirabashitsi Mateke, the Minister for Youth

The unveiling of Kwizera by NRM was presided over by the party bigwigs who included Dr. Chris Baryomunsi the Minister of ICT, Emmanuel Dombo the Director of Communication of NRM, Jacqueline Kyatuhaire the Deputy National Treasurer, Sarah Nyirabashitsi Mateke, the Minister for Youth, Philemon Mateke the party chairperson in Kisoro among other leaders during a delegates’ conference at Bukimbiri playground.

The conference began at around 10:50 am with the arrival of guests who were later entertained by a number of traditional local dancers that danced in both the Kikiga dance and the Kifumbira dances.

Dombo said they were directed by the party Chairperson who doubles as the President of Uganda Yoweri Museveni to come and seek support and also campaign for their candidate.

“We came to campaign for our candidate. We shall camp in Kisoro as we  look for votes for our candidate until the election day.  So far this is a smaller team but the president himself will be in Kisoro to campaign for his subordinate,” Dombo said.

 Baryomunsi appealed to the voters to desist from religious politics stating that religious politics only brings segregation among the voters instead of uniting them.

“I have long heard about the religious politics in Kisoro where protestants don’t support a catholic candidate and also catholic candidates don’t support protestant candidates. Please do away with this because it won’t take you anywhere.  Choose a leader based on his capabilities but not religious affiliation,” Baryomunsi.

He further appealed to the residents of Bukimbiri to vote  their candidate back to  office since his victory was nullified due to a mistake from the Electoral Commission (EC).

Nominations.

The candidates that are vying for Bukimbiri county slot are all slated to be nominated next week on August 1 and August 2 at the office of the district returning officer in Kisoro District.

According to the Electoral Commission (EC), the displaying of the voters’ register was conducted for a period of 10 days, that was from Tuesday, July 12 to Thursday, July 21, 2022, at all the 72 polling stations in Bukimbiri County.

Eddie Kwizera the National Resistance Movement (NRM) Bukimbiri county aspirant interacting with Dr. Chris Baryomunsi the Minister for ICT during the delegates conference in Bukimbiri playground in Kisoro District

The nominated candidates are expected to conduct campaign meetings for seven days from Wednesday, August 3. Polling and tallying of results for the by-election of the Member of Parliament will be conducted on Thursday, August 11, 2022.