Ministers, Five MPs Lose Seats

By Okello Jabweli THREE ministers, Betty Okwir, Jane Frances Kuka and Catherine Mavenjina, lost their re-election bids to their challengers in Thursday's women's parliamentary race. Two directors at the Movement Secretariat also lost their election bids. Final results from 31 districts received by 6.30pm yesterday, indicated that five women MPs including Rukungiri's Winnie Babihuga and Kisoro's Jeninah Ntabgoba had lost their seats. Others are Jinja's Ruth Owagage, Pallisa's Rosette Alleluya-Ikote and Nakabira Lubega (Sembabule). Twelve other incumbent MPs including ministers Grace Akello (Katakwi), Sarah Kiyingi (Rakai) and Ruth Nankabirwa (Kiboga) bounced back. Others are Christine Amongin-Aporu Okol (Kumi), Margaret Zziwa (Kampala), Beatrice Birungi Kiraso (Kabarole), Rebecca Kadaga (Kamuli), Dorothy Hyuha (Tororo), Loice Bwambale (Kasese) and Bernadette Bigirwa (Bushenyi). Nusura Tiperu, formerly the Woman Youth MP, trounced three opponents to take the newly-created Yumbe district woman seat. In Lira, Okwir, the minister in the Vice-President's office, came third with 2,922. The winner, Margaret Ateng-Otim, got 4,466 votes. Okwir has represented Lira since 1989 when she was elected to the National Resistance Council (NRC). She also represented the district in the Constituent Assembly and was once the Deputy Speaker of Parliament. In Kapchorwa, Kuka, the minister of state for disaster preparedness, posted a paltry 2,275 votes against her sole and long-time rival Gertrude Kulany Chelangat's 5,323. Eleven new entrants had by press time been confirmed to join the Seventh Parliament. They are Angupale Aanumi (Arua), Julia Bintu (Masindi), Ruth Tuma (Jinja), Joyo Eugenia Mindra (Moyo), Jesca Eriyo (Adjumani), Anette Mukabera (Kisoro), Kacha Namuyangu (Pallisa) and Rose Munyira (Busia). Others are Sylvia Sinabulya (Mubende), Sauda Mugerwa (Masaka), Idah Mehangye (Kamwenge), Rosemary Seninde (Wakiso), Winnie Matsiko (Rukungiri), Margaret Komuhangi (Nakasongola), Betty Amongi (Apac) and Alice Elaso (Soroti). Masindi's Bintu is making a comeback having served as a youth representative in the NRC. Babihuga, who headed the finance committee of the Elect-Besigye Taskforce, got 5,556 votes compared to 12,675 for her sole opponent Matsiko. In Kisoro, long-serving Ntabgoba, wife to the Principal Judge Herbert Ntabgoba, came third with only 1,543 in a race won by Anette Mukabera with 2,158. In Sembabule, Lubega who polled 1,206 votes lost to Anifa Kawooya with 1,802. In other results, Beatrice Lagada, the deputy director of mass mobilisation at the Movement Secretariat, failed in her bid to enter Parliament for a second time. She lost to Betty Ongom Amongi in Apac. Amongi replaces Rosemary Kerwegi who died a few months ago. Margaret Oguli Oumo also from the Secretariat was beaten in Soroti by Alice Alaso. Ends