Sheema North constituency goes to the polls

PIC: President Museveni canvassed for support for NRM flagbearer Naome Kibaaju. (PPU)

BY-ELECTION

The people of Sheema North constituency are heading to the polls today to elect their new representative in Parliament.

As in other such elections, voting officially started at 7:00am local time.

The area, which altogether has 65 polling stations, was left without an MP following the resignation of Dr. Elioda Tumwesigye.

Tumwesigye, who is also the science, technology and innovation minister, resigned in August after being elected Sheema Municipality MP. This was one of the municipalities created in 2015.

After submitting his resignation letter to the Speaker of Parliament, Sheema North was declared vacant, paving way for a by-election that is to be decided today.

Dr. Tumwesigye is the former Sheema North MP, and current Sheema Municipality legislator

'Honest and hardworking person'

The contest is between Naome Kibaaju of the ruling National Resistance Movement (NRM) and Guma Nuwagaba of the Forum for Democratic Change (FDC).

While drumming up support for the NRM flagbearer at the weekend, party chairman President Yoweri Museveni urged the residents of Sheema to vote Kibaaju, saying she is an honest and hardworking person.

"NRM brought peace, so when I am telling you to support Kibaaju to come to Parliament, I am advising you to elect someone who will come to Parliament and work with us and lobby for you," he told rallies on Saturday.

"When I had just come from the bush, I looked around for honest people to work with and they brought me Kibaaju. I knew her because I taught her. When she came, she did a good job and helped me to wipe out bad elements in defence until when she decided to join politics.

"Therefore, when you send me Kibaaju, you will have sent the right person to work," Museveni said.