Ngompek re-elected for Kibanda North Parliamentary seat in fresh poll

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KIRYANDONGO - Linos Ngompek of the National Resistance Movement (NRM) has secured his second five-year term of office after being re-elected as Kibanda North Constituency Member of Parliament.

The Electoral Commission conducted fresh elections in Kibanda North on Tuesday, January 27, 2026, after Benjamin Lumansi of the National Economic Empowerment Dialogue (NEED) was omitted from the ballot paper during the January 15, 2026, General Elections.

Ngompek garnered 14,564 votes, defeating seven other contenders. He was followed by Taban Idi Amin (Independent) with 8,444 votes, Benjamin Lumansi (NEED) with 343 votes, Rogers Alinaitwe (NUP) with 257 votes, and Bihemaiso David Bagonza (DP) with 85 votes. 

Zechariah Ocan (Uganda People's Congress) obtained 84 votes, while Likambo Bahti Taylor (independent) received 58 votes, and William Wataka (FDC) came last with 39 votes.

Kiryandongo district Electoral Commission returning officer Rashid Musinguzi declared Ngompek the duly elected MP for Kibanda North, having obtained the highest number of votes.

New mandate

Speaking to New Vision Online shortly after the declaration of the results, Ngompek thanked the electorate for entrusting him with their mandate and pledged to address key challenges affecting the constituency. Among the issues highlighted were persistent land conflicts between residents and the Kimeka Forest Reserve.

Ngompek stated he would work with the government to ensure the residents settled there attain security of tenure. 

He also pledged to seek justice for absentee landlords, noting that the Government should buy the land and legally settle the occupants.

The legislator further pledged to follow up on the elevation of Kiryandongo Hospital to a highway referral hospital and also for the increased funding, noting that the facility serves the local population and also over 160,000 refugees from South Sudan and Sudan, in addition to passengers traveling along the Kampala–Gulu Highway.

“I will follow up and lobby for the elevation of Kiryandongo Hospital because the facility serves a population of over 160,000 refugees from South Sudan and Sudan, as well as passengers traveling along the Kampala–Gulu Highway,” Ngompek said.

He urged the Government to elevate the hospital so that it can effectively serve Ugandans who depend on it. 

Ngompek also urged the electorate to embrace the President’s wealth creation programmes, including the four-acre model, Parish Development Model (PDM), and Emyooga, urging beneficiaries to use government support responsibly.

Low voter turnout

Kibanda North, like elsewhere in the country, registered a low voter turnout across the constituency. Musinguzi said the constituency has 106,712 registered voters, but only 24,543 turned out to vote. A total of 23,953 valid votes were cast, alongside 590 invalid votes.

Zechariah Ocan, who contested under UPC, congratulated Ngompek but urged him to address the major challenges facing residents, including urban insecurity, poor road infrastructure, fragile health services, and the daily struggles of host and refugee communities.

Lumansi conceded the defeat and called upon voters and leaders across Kiryandongo to demand better service delivery, noting that the district faces numerous challenges that require urgent solutions.

Residents also voiced their concerns, especially on land rights.

Veronica Nyamusana, a voter from Nyamutende Village in Kiryandongo sub-county, appealed to leaders to increase sensitisation on land rights.

James Okot, a voter from Kyankende Sub-county, asked leaders to address human–wildlife conflict, citing massive destruction of food crops by wildlife from neighbouring protected areas, especially Murchison Falls National Park.