NRM's Buhanda unopposed after EC disqualifies two Sheema LC5 challengers

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The Electoral Commission in Sheema district has rejected the nominations of two candidates seeking to run for LC5 chairperson, citing failure to meet the required number of signatures from registered voters.

The affected candidates are Allan Muhimbise Bakinyenza and Edgar Mukundane, who finished as runner-up to incumbent Jemimah Tumwijukye Buhanda in the recently concluded NRM primary elections.

Sheema district returning officer Pius Ahimbisibwe explained that both candidates “did not satisfy the statutory requirement of securing enough endorsements from registered voters in the district, needed for official nomination.”

“Both of them failed to raise two-thirds of the total signatories from their electoral areas of registered voters, which is why we could not nominate them,” Ahimbisibwe added. He also cited irregularities, particularly with the national identification numbers (NINs) of some of the signatories.

However, Edgar Mukundane alleged that the Electoral Commission officials could have been bribed to block their nominations.

“I bought my papers for verification on Thursday at 2pm. The EC officials asked me to leave the papers with them for verification on Friday. To my surprise, when I arrived the next morning at 9am, they had not started nominating other candidates. I was told to wait until around 4:50 pm, when they informed me that my signatories had irregularities,” Mukundane claimed.

Ahimbisibwe refuted Mukundane’s allegations, calling them “baseless.”

Following the failure of Allan Muhimbise Bakinyenza and Edgar Mukundane to secure nomination on the final day, incumbent Jemimah Tumwijukye Buhanda, who is also the NRM flag bearer, will now run unopposed in the upcoming LC5 elections in Sheema district.

Buhanda defeated three other contenders, including Edgar Mukundane, to secure the NRM party flag. However, Mukundane rejected the outcome and filed a petition with the NRM elections tribunal, alleging voter bribery, intimidation, harassment of his agents, and manipulation of voters.

The tribunal, chaired by John Musiime, quashed Mukundane’s claims, noting that he had failed to provide sufficient evidence to support the allegations.

“The petitioner failed to prove the claims to the required legal standard and is therefore not entitled to the reliefs sought,” the tribunal ruled.

The tribunal further observed that even if the alleged irregularities had been proven, they would not have substantially affected the overall outcome of the election.

With the petition dismissed, the tribunal officially confirmed Buhanda as the duly elected NRM flag bearer for the position of LC5 chairperson, Sheema district.

Despite the tribunal ruling, Mukundane announced his intention to contest as an independent candidate, claiming that the NRM primaries were marred with irregularities.