NRM retains Kasese mayoral seat

Mar 03, 2016

“I call on all my allies and opponents to embrace the agenda of cooperation and not defiance," said mayor-elect Godfrey Kabyanga.

The ruling National Resistance Movement (NRM) scored its major victory in Kasese district in the ongoing elections on Wednesday when the Electoral Commission announced incumbent Godfrey Kabyanga winner of the Kasese municipality mayoral race.

Silence and anxiety burst into jubilations as the district registrar, Lawrence Mbonigaba, declared Kabyanga winner of the hotly contested seat at around 9.00pm local time.

This was at the district multi-purpose hall opposite the Kasese airfield.

The pioneer mayor of the municipality polled 8,935 (42.4%), narrowly beating his closest rival James Kabakwa by 415 votes. Kabakwa got 8,520 (40.5%) of the votes.

Kabyanga’s supporters, who included outgoing district vice chairman, Taddeo Muhindo, who won the district councillorship seat for Nyamwamba division, sprang to their feet and ushered him to the district registrar’s table to get the results declaration form.

Business tycoon Paul Asaba Mudaki and Umar Musabingwa came third and fourth with 3,330 and 145 votes respectively.

Call for cooperation

Addressing the media soon after being declared winner, Kabyanga (pictured below) called for cooperation between the NRM and the opposition for the sake of developing the municipality.

He said even the FDC, people of all religions and the independents had voted for him.

“I call on all my allies and opponents to embrace the agenda of cooperation and not defiance. The talk of planting hatred should end now. We should start a new chapter.

“Campaigns are over. Let us embark on development. My victory is victory of the people of Kasese district, the municipality and of all the honest people because we have defeated many lies using the truth,” he said.

He said he would focus on beatification, sanitation and poverty reduction in his new term.

“I will lobby my government to give us cash to invest in business to empower low-income earners.”

Also promising to work on modernizing the municipality, hygiene and sanitation, the mayor-elect said his victory was also for the Rwenzururu cultural institution.

But the district chairman-elect, Geoffrey Sibendire Bigogo , expressed indifference on the mayoral results.

“Our candidate was not around when the results were being announced. If he accepts the results, we shall go by him.” He alleged that there was a lot of voter bribery on the eve of the elections.

The FDC got all the six parliamentary seats in the district and 28 councillors on the district council.

He promised to work with elected leaders from other political parties.

So far so good – police

Commenting on the elections, the Rwenzori east regional police commander, SSP Bob Kagarura (pictured), said the election was so far so good. “We congratulate the victorious candidates.”

But he said two people were arrested Wednesday while pre-ticking ballots in at Saluti polling station.

“Investigations are on. We believe they will expose the racket and what they have been doing. We shall take them to courts of law on evidence,” he said.

Kagarura called on the residents to start concentrating more on opportunities than their political differences.