Kikuube restricts crowds  for LCV  by-elections campaigns

KIKUUBE - National Resistance Movement (NRM) and National Unity Platform (NUP) candidates canvassing for votes in Kikuube district LCV bye-election have been warned against holding rallies in some sub-counties.

The areas are under surveillance for contacts of a man who tested positive for the Ebola virus.

Kikuube registered one case of Ebola after blood samples of a man from Nsonga landing site in Kyangwali sub-county within Kikuube tested positive for Ebola.

The victim, who is currently admitted at Mulago Hospital, is a taxi driver who transported an Ebola patient from DR Congo to Kibuli Hospital in Kampala.  

Over 30 contacts of the deceased and the victim were identified and put in isolation.

The Kikuube district resident commissioner, Godwine Agalia, said that sub-counties such as Kabwoya and Kyangwali are at high risk of getting Ebola infection since these sub-counties border RDC Congo.

He noted that though they closed their official border entry and exit points connecting the district to DR Congo and closed all weekly markets, there is a need for the public to remain vigilant.

Agalia cautioned the candidates hunting for votes to avoid holding rallies in Kabwoya and Kyangwali sub-counties, but instead, they should hold meetings with their agents.

“We have two sub-counties which are under surveillance, these are Kyangwali and Kabwoya, and we are guiding the task of Ebola. The border points have since been closed, there is no entry, and we have also suspended market operations.

For political campaigns, those areas will not have rallies. Instead, candidates should have agents' meetings. It's the agents who will move house to house,” he said.

He warned that any candidate who goes against the task force’s guidance will be dealt with, as their action may result in the spread of the epidemic.

Kikuube district electoral commission nominated

NRM’s Paddy Kisembo and NUP’s Fenekansi  Tinkamanyire to contest for Kikuube district LCV and also came up with harmonised campaign programs that allowed the candidates to traverse the district, canvassing for support, despite the last week’s orders by the Ministry of Health that stopped public gatherings, including political rallies in high-risk districts to contain an Ebola Virus Disease outbreak.  

When contacted, Kikuube district returning officer Emmanuel Twine said the campaign was allowed to continue under the observation of the operation standard procedure SOPS.

“We gave campaigning guidelines, and one of these was to adhere to SOPS, and we hope that the candidates are following the guidelines”, he said.  

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) Matayo Kyaligonza was hit by a fast-moving taxi in Butyamba-Kamusunsi village, Kiziranfumbi town council, on the Hoima-Fort Portal highway.