Kikuube by-election: NRM launches vote hunt for its flagbearer

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The National Resistance Movement (NRM) secretariat has kicked off a campaign to canvass for support for its flagbearer, Paddy Kisembo, in the forthcoming Kikuube district chairperson by-election scheduled for June 18.

Rosemary Nansubuga Sseninde, NRM’s Director for Mobilisation, on Friday held a meeting with the Kikuube district NRM leadership to draw a strategy on how the party flagbearer would win the Kikuube district local council V by-election.

This comes after Philip Burnet Mbabazi, son of Maj. Gen. (Rtd) Matayo Kyaligonza filed a petition to the Electoral Commission seeking cancellation of the nomination of NRM's Kisembo and Fenekansi Tinkamanyire of the National Unity Platform.

National Resistance Movement (NRM) flagbearer Paddy Kisembo speaking during the meeting. (Photo by Peter Abaanabasazi)

According to a petition dated June 2, 2026, filed through Okello Oryem and Company Advocates, Mbabazi claims that the two candidates failed to meet nomination requirements.

Mbabazi alleged that the candidates did not submit lists containing names of at least 50 registered voters from each sub-county of at least two-thirds of the electoral area, as required by law.

 The Electoral Commission announced that it will make its ruling on the issue on Wednesday next week.

Mbabazi, who won the NRM primaries, missed being nominated for the by-election after the Electoral Commission disqualified him over mismatching academic documents.

As a result, the NRM party replaced Mbabazi with Kisembo, who was the second during the NRM primaries and had turned up to be nominated as an independent candidate.

In the NRM primaries, Mbabazi scored 23,279 votes while Kisembo got 16,459 votes. Dickson Tushabe obtained 343 votes, and Valentino Rubasharaza attained 81 votes.

Speaking at the meeting in Kikuube, Sseninde said since the Electoral Commission has not halted the election, the NRM party has nothing stopping them from campaigning for their candidate.

She said they do not expect the Electoral Commission to make mistakes, adding that during the nomination exercise, the commission followed the law.

“During the nomination, we had challenges with our flagbearer, and because of that, it was resolved by the party, and we have another candidate. I know some people petitioned the Electoral Commission, and we are very aware that the commission will be able to decide on Wednesday, but that does not stop us from campaigning for our candidate because the commission has not halted campaigns,” she said.

She noted that NRM will work hard to ensure that their candidate wins the by-election and called on party leaders, including the district executive committee, to do everything possible to see that the party flagbearer secures a win.

“We have come here to meet the NRM leaders to plan and organise ourselves and see how the campaign is going be conducted. Our campaign is going to be grassroots-based; the people of Kikuube are going to lead their own campaign.  I have come here on the behalf of the secretariat to appeal to the NRM leaders to work together as a team to ensure that our flagbearer wins the election," Sseninde said.

She noted that mobilisation for the flagbearer will start on June 6 at sub-county level before it goes to parishes.

Kikuube RDC Godwine Agalia, left, NRM flagbearer Paddy Kisembo (centre) with Rosemary Nansubuga Sseninde, NRM’S Director of Mobilization as she delivered her message. (Photo by Peter Abaanabasazi)

Kikuube resident district commissioner Godwin Agalia commended the NRM secretariat for the clarification, arguing that there has been a lot of confusion as to why the group of Mbabazi has been misleading the public about the election.

He also warned the supporters of Kisembo against ridiculing Mbabazi's group, saying such an act may result in violence.

Meanwhile, Kisembo said he was not scared by the petition filed by Mbabazi, noting that he followed the right procedure during the nomination.

The election followed the death of the incumbent district chairperson, Peter Banura, in a car crash on April 4, 2026.  Banura, the son of Maj. Gen. (Rtd) Kyaligonza was hit by a fast-moving taxi in Butyamba-Kamusunsi village, Kiziranfumbi town council, on the Hoima-Fort Portal highway.