Minister Namuganza loses second round of NRM primaries

NAUTUMBA - The State Minister for Housing and Urban Development, Percis Namuganza, has lost round two in the just concluded NRM primaries that were concluded on Monday.

Namuganza lost to former Namutumba District Speaker, Emma Maganda, who scored 20,512 votes, pitting the Minister’s 17,764 votes, marking the conclusion of the month-long vote scramble.

Namuganza contested the August defeat to the National Resistance Movement (NRM) Electoral Commission chair, Dr. Tanga Odoi, citing vote rigging, voter bribery and violence, before the latter called for fresh Elections in Kibaale Sub-County and Kibaale Town Council.

This was the third time Namuganza faced Maganda, an agricultural specialist who had, since 2016, dared to dislodge her.  In the Monday polls, other candidates, namely: Siraje Gusongirye, Paul Bajebaite and Andrew Mpanguzi, scored 1,546, 1,593 and 541 votes, respectively.

Emma Maganda

Namuganza speaks out 

Speaking to the media, Namuganza said she was heading back to Bukono to consult her supporters to decide on the way forward, before heading to State House to brief the party Chairman, Yoweri Kaguta Museveni.

“The conclusions and guidance from both parties is what I will base my decisions on to forge the way forward,” she said.

In August, Maganda was declared the winner. He received the news while in Namutumba Community Hospital, where he has been admitted with injuries sustained in a brawl with an unidentified person.

He was later referred to the Orthopaedic Bridgestone Health Access facility in Jinja City, where the dislocated body parts were realigned.